Tragedy overshadows winner (From Kidderminster Shuttle)

Tragedy overshadows winner

8:00am Monday 11th February 2013 in News

A PHOTOGRAPHER who won a competition with his stunning snap of a storm over a poppy field near Bewdley died before he knew he was the winner.

Danny Beath, who had autism, scooped top prize in the landscape category of the Wanderlust Travel Photo of the Year Competition 2012, with his photo of Blackstone Farm.

The 52-year-old, of Shropshire, was a finalist seven times before but died of a heart attack on January 13 before organisers could reveal he was last year’s winner.

Lyn Hughes, Wanderlust editor-in-chief, said: “Danny was thrilled to have made it into the final of Wanderlust's Travel Photo of the Year awards yet again.

“He was particularly delighted as it was with a British landscape. He had always entered photos from overseas in previous years. He commented both by email and on the myWanderlust forum on how excited he was."

She added: “We already knew that he had actually won this year but couldn't reveal it. I just wish he’d known before he’d died because it would have meant so much to him.”