SUPER snapper Amy Cumming of Norton has won a place in the finals of the RSPCA young photographer awards.

Sixteen-year-old Amy, a photographic student at Middlesbrough College, was encouraged to enter the competition by her tutor, following the high standard of her coursework.

Using a process called burning in, she combined the head of her dog, Lola, with the body of a friend and sent it off without thinking any more about it. Last week she found out her photo had been beaten off more than 6,000 entries and was among a shortlist of 40 finalists.

The former Laurence Jackson School pupil, who hopes to be a fashion photographer, is still in a daze after hearing the news.

She told the D&S Times: "I am really excited. I've never won anything before and this was the first photo competition I have ever entered.

"I've always taken photos on our family holidays and everyone thinks they are good. But my art teacher believed my photographic skills were good enough to enter this competition. So I did."

Unfortunately, as the news of the competition reached Amy last week, so did a call telling her that her 13-year-old West Highland terrier was very ill.

"My mum called me to say that Lola had been taken ill and the vet was going to have to put her to sleep," said Amy. "I went straight to the vets to say goodbye. It was very, very sad."

Amy will find out if her photo is a winner when she takes her place at a awards ceremony on December 12, at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

The overall winner will receive an Olympus C-300 Zoom digital camera and £250 cash. There are also camera and cash prizes for age group winners and runners-up.