YOUNG photographers now have until September 7 to enter a competition run by Stroud Camera Club.

The original deadline for entries in the club’s Young Photographer of the Year competition was the end of the month.

That has now been extended by an extra week until Thursday, September 7.

This year the competition includes the Richard Pearse Memorial Prize.

Named after the former chairman of Stroud Camera Club, who died in April, it will see see the SNJ award £100 to the young photographer who submits a picture which Richard would have liked best, as chosen by a judging panel.

Father-of-three Richard, who was a popular teacher at Maidenhill School and Wycliffe College and lived in Stroud, set up the camera club’s Young Photographer of the Year contest in 2015 for those aged 18 and under who live or study in the district.

Stroud Camera Club’s Young Photographer of the Year competition is sponsored by engineering giant Renishaw, the county’s biggest business employer, and has categories for children under 14 and those aged 14-18, with prizes of vouchers for photographic equipment.

First prize in each age group is a £150 voucher donated by Renishaw, second is a £75 voucher from Sigma Freight Systems, while third place receives a £50 voucher courtesy of London Camera Exchange.

The Richard Pearse Memorial Prize is an additional award and will become an annual fixture in the club’s contest.

All of the prizes will be presented by BBC Points West presenter Sabet Choudhury at an awards ceremony hosted by Renishaw on the evening of Wednesday, September 27.

SNJ editor Michael Purton said: “Richard was an inspirational man and deserving of an award in his honour, so we’re delighted to sponsor a prize which will follow his lead of encouraging young people to take up photography.”

Richard died of a heart attack while cycling along the A4135 in Kingscote.

He was a well-respected teacher at Maidenhill School from 1995 to 2000 and then Wycliffe College until 2006.

All images entered must have been taken after January 1, 2017 and be digital.

Prints cannot be accepted.

For further information and to enter go to stroudcameraclub.co.uk/competition/