EAST Lancashire MP Nigel Evans has won a top award at Westminster -- for pursuing a bird across an empty American beach.

The bachelor Tory has been commended in the House of Commons All Party Parliamentary Photo Group Competition for his picture of a small, feathered friend stranded on a sandy strand.

However, his fellow MPs from the area have admitted to being not quite so snap happy.

Only Burnley's Peter Pike is considering entering in the future.

Mr Evans' photograph was one of seven commended photographs along with entries by famed photographer and former Labour Chancellor and Defence Secretary Denis Healey and NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson.

Ribble Valley MP Mr Evans said: "The picture was taken while I was in North Florida on a private visit.

"I was walking on a beach with my camera when I found a rather small bird on a large empty beach.

"The image struck me and I was lucky that the bird stayed put for long enough for me to take a few photos.

"Photography for me is one of my favourite ways of relaxing. When taking a picture my aim is to find a usual thing but photograph it in an unusual way.

"Most of the arresting images are ones of familiar objects in unfamiliar circumstances."

Roy Green, editor of the Royal Photographic Society Journal said of Mr Evans' picture: "The judges liked the cheeky independence of the bird.

"The technique of using a telephoto lens was also clever in producing a feeling of isolation."

Rossendale and Darwen MP Janet Anderson said: "I didn't enter because I don't take many photographs. I am not very good at it.

"I've got lots of pictures with my fingerprints across the lens which may be of a great deal of use to the police but not anybody else."

Hyndburn MP Greg Pope said: "I didn't enter. I take a few photographs on holiday but they are not very good. Its nice to know that Nigel has at last found something he is good at."

Burnley MP Mr Pike said: "I do take quite a few photographs but I've never entered any into the competition. Some are quite good so I might do so in the future."

Pendle MP Gordon Prentice said: "I haven't entered any photographs.

"I don't take a great many. But there is one of me in the exhibition taken by Andrew Miller when I was at a massive Right to Roam demonstration on land owned by the Earl of Macclesfield in Oxfordshire.

"You can just see my head as I address the assembled company."