An Exmouth photographer has won a competition aimed at raising awareness of an endangered species of bird, the curlew.
Derek Carter triumphed in the contest organised by McCarthy Stone, the developer of The Curlews Retirement Living Plus community on Merchant Avenue.
Competing with fellow photographers in Devonshire, Mr Carter's winning photograph expertly captured the rare bird in its natural habitat, the Exe Estuary.
Mr Carter's picture will be exhibited in The Curlews' Homeowners Lounge for residents and visitors to admire.
The victory also saw Mr Carter win a £150 voucher from Hobbycraft.
Alongside the personal accolades, McCarthy Stone also made a £250 donation to the RSPB, an organisation dedicated to preserving and maintaining natural habitats.
Upon receiving the award, Mr Carter said: "I’m over the moon with the news and I’m so glad the team at McCarthy Stone loved my picture.
"I’m an avid bird watcher and I also volunteer as a cruise line speaker down at the estuary during the winter months, so when I saw the competition in the paper while doing some decorating, I knew that I had to dig out some of my favourite photos."
While reflecting on his winnings, Mr Carter revealed he intends to gift the Hobbycraft voucher to his wife, a passionate craft enthusiast.
He explained: "She'll undoubtedly make the most of that voucher and I can't wait to witness the pride of place my photograph will have in the new lounge."
Divisional marketing at McCarthy Stone, Nicki Beswarick, congratulated Mr Carter stating: "We received some fantastic entries from the local community, which really brought to light the scope of talent in Exmouth.
"We’d like to thank everyone who participated and wish to say a huge congratulations to Derek for capturing what was truly a brilliant shot of the curlew."
The Curlews, located close to the bustling town centre and sandy beaches of Exmouth, will feature 59 retirement apartments designed to promote independent living and sociability among retirees.
The development is brought to life by McCarthy Stone, having a prominent status within the housing sector.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here