Magical ‘snowbow’ shot wins inaugural Merseyside photographer of the year competition

A striking image of a ‘snowbow’ has been crowned the winner of the first ever Port Sunlight Photographer of the Year competition.

Earlier this year, photographers of all levels of experience were invited to submit their snaps taken in and around the famous Wirral village, which is one of the finest surviving examples of an industrial worker village in the world. The competition is organised by Port Sunlight Village Trust, with entry fees going to support their work to protect the village’s several important monuments.

Following judging by award-winning press photographers Paul Ellis and Bruce Adams, the competition organisers have announced Andrew Crothall’s magical photograph of a ‘snowbow’ over the village as the winning snap.

The two runners-up were Dan Bentley for his birds-eye view of Port Sunlight’s Grade I listed War Memorial, and David Kelly for capturing a front door of one of the village’s distinctive houses with the iconic Dell Bridge and Lyceum in the background. Other entries ranged from wildlife to architecture to scenes from everyday village life.

Andrew Crothall, the competition winner, said: “I am delighted to have won the Port Sunlight Photographer of the Year 2024 competition. The village is a beautiful place and there are always photographic opportunities, but it is extra special in the snow. However, this doesn’t happen very often so I always rush down to the village first thing in the morning if there has been overnight snow. On this occasion the sky started to clear just after sunrise on a cold January morning and the first rays of sunlight illuminated ice crystals in the atmosphere, creating a rare ’snowbow’ over The Diamond.”

The winning photograph will grace the front cover of a new Port Sunlight calendar, which also includes the runners up and a selection of other entries. The calendar will go on sale later this year, but is available to pre-order here. Each sale of the calendar will raise money for Port Sunlight Village Trust’s work to protect Port Sunlight’s monuments.

The winner, runners up and a selection of other entries can be viewed in an online exhibition here.