ENTRIES are arriving for The Great North Photography Competition and proving that there is a strong base of amateur talent in the region.

The competition, hosted by The Northern Echo and sponsored by Orange, encourages amateur photographers to capture the North-East and North Yorkshire on film or memory card.

It aims to celebrate the landscape, buildings and communities and Sheealgh Caygill, digital media editor at The Northern Echo, said: "So far, all the entries have focused on landscape or coastal scenes."

She said the picture must have been taken in 2003 and can show any thing or place in the region. Family shots and portraits cannot be submitted.

Amateur snappers who have photo messaging on their mobile phones are also encouraged to email a picture.

Maureen Dixon, regional public relations and sponsorship manager at Orange, said: "Photo messaging is becoming really popular and more and more people are using photo phones. We are keen to see if users have an eye for a good picture."

The competition is open to any resident of the North-East and North Yorkshire, and has two age categories, under-18s and 18 and over. A winner in each category will be selected, and each will receive a £150 prize.

Readers without Internet access can post their best photograph to The Great North Photography Competition, The Northern Echo, Priestgate, Darlington, DL1 1NF. Include on a slip of paper your name, age, full contact details and where the picture was taken.

For rules and how to enter, log on to www.thisisthenortheast.co.uk/ gnpc/index.html