Jessica just one of two British winners in top photographic competition

Jessica Chatburn won the 17 and under gold award in the Royal Photographic Society's International Images for Science competition. And she is one of only two British winners in the prestigious competition.

There were over 2,500 entries with competitors ranging from students and amateur photographers, to professional and medical photographers, from all over the world.

And the icing on the cake came for the 16-year-old, who lives in Reedley, Burnley, when two of her photographs, taken on the holiday in 2014, were chosen for the top 100 in the competition which will tour as an exhibition in Manchester from Saturday, October 22nd to Tuesday, November 1st.

The shot that won Jessica, who is a former head girl at Oakhill School, Whalley, the first place in the competition was called Swarms of Chrysaora Fuscescens. It was taken at Monterey Aquarium and was part of a large number of shots she took on the trip.

Jessica, who is now studying A levels at Nelson and Colne College, was presented with her medal and £500 towards photographic equipment at a glittering awards night at the Royal Academy of Engineering in London hosted by the Royal Photographic Society and Siemens.

Jessica would like to eventually study either Architecture or Engineering but has a particular love of music, art and of course, photography.