A Winchester photographer’s holiday helped put in her in the frame for a prestigious award.

Anne Ruffell, 67, has scooped a distinction from The Royal Photographic Society for her 15 pictures from an Italian break.

Mrs Ruffell, of Abbotts Ann Road, Harestock, a former president of Winchester Photographic Society (WPS), took the images among the quiet hilltop villages of Lazio, north of Rome, last August (2009) The photographer, commenting on the associateship award, said: “I’m very excited about the award – it does mean something to those in the photography world. These pictures are very special and very different to anything I have done before.”

For more information about WPS visit www.winphotosoc.co.uk