A PHOTOGRAPHY competition has been launched to celebrate a Hampshire country park.

Eastleigh Borough Council is challenging everyone aged six and upwards to take part in its summer photography competition at Itchen Valley Country Park.

With four age groups due to take part and three different themes to pick from, a winner will be picked from each age group for each theme.

The Viewfinders of Romsey Camera Club are set to judge the entries and will decide on the final 12 winners whose photos will then be showcased outdoors in a group exhibition for the month of September.

Entries for the competition opened on July 1 and are due to run up until August 1. with age group categories split into 6-10s, 11-17s, 18-24s and over 25s.

For the wildlife theme, the council is asking people to capture insects and animals at the park in their habitats.

For the Creative in Nature theme, participants are challenged to get creative, interacting with the park and showing what patterns they see in the leaves or showing something they have created in the woodland.

For the final theme, Landscape, those taking part are asked to share pictures from all areas of the 440 acre park.

Only one photo is allowed to be submitted per person and it must be taken in the grounds of the country park.

The winning images will be presented on A0 boards so images need to be of high quality and should be taken on a digital camera, tablet, or phone, on a high-resolution setting.

Photos less than 300dpi will not be considered.

Those who want to enter are being asked to fill out the entry form on the council website and email it to photography@eastleigh.gov.uk with their photo.