YOUNG amateur photographers are being encouraged to get snapping again for this years Tavyside Young Photographer of the Year competition.

Organised by the Tavyside Patients' Association (TPA), it is hoped the competition will attract lots of photographs from youngsters in the three age groups of four to seven years, eight to eleven and 12 to 16.

Last year, Eric Reynolds presented a shield — the Maureen Reynolds Trophy — to the TPA, on which is recorded the name of the overall winner of the competition. The trophy is displayed in the health centre in memory of Eric's wife who served on the patients' association committee for 30 years.

Last year's winner was Shannelle Bowyer from Tavistock College, with her picture in the Family and Pets category. Shanelle's picture of children playing with a family dog on Wembury Beach has attracted much praise over the year that it has been displayed in the patients' waiting area.

Chairman of the TPA Barbara Greig said: 'We are hoping for another great photo for display this year.?We had amazing pictures in all the age groups and categories last year, all of the photos were excellent and gave the judges a really hard time deiding on the winners.'

The TPA hopes young people of all ages will get snapping again this year, especially during the summer holidays.

As well as a shield, and a prize for the overall winner of each age group, there are 12 medals — gold, silver and bronze — for the best pictures in each category of each age group.

Dartmoor Photographic in Tavistock is again providing an enlarged, professionally produced copy of the photograph of the overall winner which will be displayed in the health centre and one for the winning photographer.

There are four categories for each age group — Sport and Leisure, Celebration, Family and Pets and Dartmoor. Competitors may submit three photographs to each category at £1 per entry.

The three judges for the competition will be Times photographer James Bird, and keen photographers Stuart Black and Keith Urro.

The photos should be four by six inches with the entrant's name, date of birth, address and telephone number, as well as the category entered, attached or written on the reverse and either dropped into the health centre reception with the entry fees or addressed to: Junior Photographic Competition, Tavyside Health Centre, Abbey Rise, Tavistock, PL19 9FD.

The photographs may be submitted from August 1 up until 4pm on Monday, September 2.

The winners will be announced before the start of the Tavyside annual quiz night at 7pm on September 5 at the Parish Rooms in Tavistock. The prizes will be given out at the health centre on Saturday, September 7, 10.30am.