Marine & Natural History Photography student Shannon Moran has won third place at this year's Underwater Photographer of the Year (UPY) contest.

Shannon said:

"When I entered my images I hoped to make it into the final categories and maybe get a commended entry; never did I imagine I would get third place and highly commended in a category. I was absolutely thrilled when I got the email to tell me I had placed. And the award ceremony was amazing, all of the other winners were so supportive and thrilled that I had placed at aged only 21."

Shannon picked up the award in the British Waters Living Together category with her photograph Lucky Escape. She also achieved highly commended for another photograph in the same category, Shipwreck Shelter. And all in her first year of entering the competition.

Her photographs were highly praised by the internationally renowned judges. On Lucky Escape, Dr Alexander Mustard MBE, former marine biologist, now widely regarded as one of the world's leading underwater photographers, commented:

"I like how this picture creates drama by showing the spider crab climbing nonchalantly across the creel, oblivious to how one false move could seal its demise."

Peter Rowlands, who has worked in underwater photography since the 1970s, built one of the largest specialist underwater photography equipment retailers in the world and is a former British Underwater Photographer of the Year (UPY), said of Shipwreck Shelter:

"The underwater world judges not. What, how or why an artificial reef arrived is of no interest. It very quickly gets colonised by marine creatures of all shapes and sizes. This clear composition is well lit and the diver is the icing on the message."