Times Online readers have chosen William Lyte, a photography A-Level student from Lancashire, as the UK winner of the Shoot Nations global youth photography competition 2008.

The 17-year-old from Clitheroe will fly to the World Youth Congress in Quebec, Canada, this weekend to present his winning photograph on the theme of climate change on International Youth Day on August 12.

Entitled "Reflecting the Earth's Frustration", his image will be exhibited at the Congress along with other winning entries from young photographers around the world.

Times Online readers overwhelmingly voted for William's photograph out of a shortlist of ten UK finalists selected by a panel of expert judges. This year's theme was youth in a changing climate.

William said the picture was inspired by the work of British photojournalist Don McCullin, widely regarded as one of the world's best war photographers.

"I wanted to take a shot that was very dark and moody," he said. "I thought the perfect place to do that was at an old salmon trap on a weir on the river near my house.

“When I looked at it I knew I’d be able to get that foreboding feeling I was looking for. I thought the atmosphere really represented the world’s attitude to climate change."

William said he was "gobsmacked" on hearing that he had been voted the Times Online readers' winner.

He added: “I’ve been taking pictures since I was 15 so to win something like this already is just amazing."

Winners in six other categories according to age and brief were also selected from entries from 104 countries. All the winning photographs, as well as other commended entries, will be exhibited at London's Oxo Tower from August 12 to 19.

The full list of winning entries will be published on Times Online tomorrow. For more information go to www.shootnations.org

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