SUFFOLK FA Grassroots Photograph of the Season competition winner Paul Leech said it was an honour to win for a second time.

Leech’s photograph of Mark Ray celebrating his winning goal for Woodbridge Town away to Braintree Reserves in Division One of the Thurlow Nunn League was voted the winner of the competition which is sponsored by Lockdales.

The competition, which was run for the third time during the 2017-18 season, is open to amateur photographers and organised in conjunction with Archant Ltd, publishers of the East Anglian Daily Times and Ipswich Star.

Leech was presented with his prize – a canvas print of his winning entry – at Lockdales premises in Martlesham.

Runner-up Peter Frost received a canvas of his entry of Woodbridge Town Under-10s thanking their parents for their time and support during the season and Daryl Butcher, who was third, a canvas of his photograph of the Old Newton United goalkeeper catching the ball one-handed in a Division One match versus Trimley Red Devils.

The competition was judged by Liza Machan, Head of Photography at Lockdales auctioneers of Martlesham, Ross Halls, Image Curator at Archant Suffolk and Marketing & Communications Officer at Suffolk FA Nick Garnham.

Pictured above at the presentation are (left to right) Daryl Butcher, Ross Halls, Paul Leech, Dan Daley, Peter Frost and Liza Machan.

Paul Leech, who also won the competition in its inaugural season two years ago, said: “I am honoured to win the competition for a second time.

“I would like to thank Suffolk FA, Lockdales and Archant for running the competition this season.”

Runner-up Peter Frost said: “I don’t have any professional equipment but I enjoy taking photographs on behalf of Woodbridge Town Under-10s for use on their website, and selected four or five to send in for the competition.”

Third-placed Daryl Butcher, who is Referee Secretary of the Touchline SIL, said: “When I am not refereeing I like to take photographs and some are used on the SIL website.

“When you take a photograph you are never really sure what you have got until you have downloaded them.”

Dan Daley, Managing Director of competition sponsors Lockdales said: “We were happy to help support the Grassroots Photograph of the Season competition.

“With Liza being a photographer here it was good for her to use her experience to help select the winning entries.”