A PHOTOGRAPHIC competition launched in Richmond has already received more than 500 entries from budding snappers across the globe.

Best Shots photography and exhibition competition is also a charitable fundraising project that will give proceeds raised from entry fees and photographic sales to support the Richmondshire Buildings Preservation Trust, the organisation responsible for the Station, Richmond.

Jackie Mackenzie from Platform Communications in the town, said entries for the competition had come in from more than 40 different countries including Latvia, Singapore, Greece, Poland, Malaysia, Australia, Belgium, Samoa and China.

She said: “I find it extraordinary that a relatively unknown and unassuming destination such as Richmond can suddenly become so global thanks to the power of social media.

“We have used Twitter, Facebook and linked the website to other photography sites so the word has really spread.

“Part of the appeal will be that the panel of judges, led by artist Joe Cornish, will critique all the entries before compiling a shortlist of 100 which will be displayed at the Station.

“From that 100, first, second and third places will be picked from the ten different categories, and the top thirty will then go on an exhibition tour of the UK.”

Other judges on the panel include Amanda Berry, chief executive of BAFTA; J Collingridge, International Architectural Photographer of the Year 2011; Dr Mike Maloney, Britiain’s most decorated press photographer; and Roger Tooth, head of photography at the Guardian.

There are 10 categories: landscape, portrait, still life, food and drink, sport, photo art, travel, animal life, phone photos and young snappers.

For information on how to enter visit www.bestshots.co.uk.