A weekly picture tweeted every Monday for a year has won a Norfolk man top prize in a national photographic competition.

Eastern Daily Press: Matt Dartford's photograph, taken on a Canon camera, of sunrise behind a Sizewell nuclear power station offshore platform. Picture: MATTHEW DARTFORDMatt Dartford's photograph, taken on a Canon camera, of sunrise behind a Sizewell nuclear power station offshore platform. Picture: MATTHEW DARTFORD (Image: Archant)

Amateur photographer Matt Dartford beat hundreds of others, including professionals, from across the UK, to scoop the Wex Photographer of the Year 2015 title.

Mr Dartford, 40, from Horsham St Faith, near Norwich, included among his entries pictures of the Milky Way over Happisburgh Lighthouse, and a black and white photo of sunrise behind an off-shore platform, part of the Sizewell nuclear power station in Suffolk.

His efforts have earned him £1,500 in vouchers to spend at Wex, which has a camera and photographic showroom on the Frenbury Estate, Drayton High Road, Norwich.

Mr Dartford earns his living as an illustrator and his work has included album covers for the Ministry of Sound and singer Lily Allen, and commissions for chocolate maker Cadbury.

Eastern Daily Press: Matt Dartford, Wex Photographer of the Year 2015. Picture: SUBMITTEDMatt Dartford, Wex Photographer of the Year 2015. Picture: SUBMITTED (Image: Archant)

He said it was only in the past three years that he had taken a serious interest in photography and took a camera with him whenever he was walking his dog.

His favourite locations are the woods on the Blickling Estate, near Aylsham, and Caister beach.

'Sometimes I get up at 4am to jump in the car and be somewhere for a summer sunrise at 5am.

'At that time of the morning Caister is just miles of coastline with not a single person on it,' he said.

'Generally I enjoy shooting almost anything, but my main love is landscape.'

A selection of the best 2015 entries can be seen at the Wex Exhibition, at The Forum, in Norwich, until this Friday, February 5.

More than 300 professional and amateur photographers took part in the contest, including many from Scotland and the north of England.

The online competition rules specified that each Monday's photo must have been take over the previous seven days.

Louis Wahl, Wex chief customer officer, said: 'This approach has led to a unique collection of images from a variety of genres, taken by photographers of all skill levels.'

The talent had been outstanding, he added.

? Anyone interested in entering the 2016 competition should visit www.wexphotographic.com for more details.

? To see more of Matt Dartford's work visit www.mdartford.photography

Have you won a prestigious prize? Contact alex.hurrell@archant.co.uk