A YOUNG animal lover has won a top photography award after snapping some of her 28 pets for a bit of fun.

Eleven-year-old Jenny Lea, of Dale Avenue, Longton, Preston, was runner-up in the 2001 RSPCA Young Photographer Award for her picture of Borris the cat under a blanket and one of the newts from her backgarden's pond.

And they are being exhibited for the next month in London's Grosvenor Hotel as a reward for beating 5,000 entrants to be one of the 16 winners.

Such exposure has given the Priory Technology College pupil more confidence in her skills with a camera.

Jenny had never entered a photography competition before. But now Jenny plans to use the prize -- a £50 Olympus camera -- to take photos of wildlife at weekends for photography to become a serious hobby.

And she has had plenty of practice snapping the 14 tropical fish, 10 guinea pigs, two cats and two stick insects around her home.

Her mum, Fiona, accompanied Jenny to London for the ceremony at the Grosvenor Hotel last week.

"She is keen on animals and she just entered herself -- and it was worthwhile doing so," she said.

"We got to do some Christmas shopping on Oxford Street midweek when it was quiet and visited the British Museum.

"She liked taking pictures before but this has started a serious interest now and she plans to go with her Grandma for weekends away for photography.

"It's a nice hobby to have and she has got confidence in it now.

"The ceremony was lovely and we got to meet Chris Packham who used to present the Really Wild Show, but he has respectable hair now instead of his old spiky look!"

Chris Packham said: "I really enjoyed judging this competition and seeing so much young photographic talent. Many of the pictures showed great originality."