SUFFOLK’S awe inspiring coastline has been recognised at a prestigious photography competition that attracts thousands of entrants from across the globe.

This stunning picture of the River Alde was the only image of the UK to win a prize in the Wanderlust Travel Photo of the Year.

It was taken by IT professional and keen photographer Andrew Jones from Basingstoke.

He said: “This scene had been quite different when I’d walked past this spot only an hour earlier. It was overcast with a stiff breeze creating conditions that weren’t worthy of a single photograph, so I carried on along the riverbank without stopping.

“On returning to this same spot later, the wind had completely dropped, the cloud had cleared and the low evening light was now illuminating this stunning scene.”

The competition - in partnership with UK photo printer, PhotoBox - attracted more than 5,000 entries worldwide.

Mr Jones’ effort, entitled The Sailing Barge, was “highly commended” by the judges, which included leading travel photographers and journalists.

On choosing the winners Lyn Hughes, Wanderlust magazine founder and editor-in-chief, said: “The standard of photography in this competition just gets higher and higher. It’s really exciting to see the quality of travel photography today; it’s by far the most evocative genre of photography.”

The awards were presented at the Destinations holiday and travel show, sponsored by The Times newspaper, which launched in London last weekend.