Enthusiast photographers are urged to enter this year?s BBC Countryfile Photographic Competition, which carries the theme ?Water?.

The annual contest is organised by the Countryfile television show and is looking for action shots as well as landscapes which can include rivers, canals, lakes, waterfalls, streams and the sea. The closing date is 9 September 2005.

Up for grabs to the winner of a viewers? telephone vote is £1,000 worth of photographic equipment. The photographer capturing the judges? favourite picture will get £500 worth of holiday vouchers.

The best 12 images will appear in the Countryfile Calendar 2006 which will be sold in aid of the charity Children in Need later this year.

The theme is open to personal interpretation but should have the natural world or the countryside at heart, say organisers.

Entries must have been taken in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man.

Entrants can submit up to four photos either as prints or slides, in colour or b&w and the images can be captured using film or digital cameras.

The contest is open to UK residents including residents of the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

The judges are the programme?s presenter John Craven, wildlife photographer Chris Packham and comedian Jo Brand.

Submissions should be sent to Countryfile Photo Competition 2005, BBC, The Mailbox, Birmingham B1 1RF.

For full details and rules see www.bbc.co.uk/nature/environment/programmes/countryfile/photocomp_2005.shtml

Picture credit: Angela Nicholson