A local man has won the 2010 Royal National Lifeboat Institution photographer of the Year competition, after being left a camera in a friend's will.

Assistant tractor driver at Ramsey Lifeboat Station Malcolm McDonald won the prize for his picture of the town's Mersey class lifeboat ready to launch on the boathouse slipway.

Mr McDonald only took up photography 18 months ago after a good friend, who was a keen photographer, died and left him his camera with the instructions 'do something with it'. He says his success came as a complete surprise, but the circumstances made it especially poignant.

Head Judge of the competition Eleanor Driscoll, who is the RNLI's film and image manager, said Mr McDonald's photograph was technically accomplished, but also captured the community spirit of the RNLI, with the reflections in the lifeboat's hull showing the town which the station and volunteers have served for over 140 years.

Mr McDonald's win was announced at the recent London Boat Show.