A picture of Prince Charles inspecting tyres has been named the best regional press photograph of royalty from the past year.

The image of the Prince of Wales was captured by the Carlisle News & Star’s Stuart Walker, who has now been awarded Regional/Local Newspaper Rota Photo of the Year for his effort.

Stuart’s picture, taken at Carlisle’s Pirelli Tyres factory, was shortlisted for the category at the Royal Rota photography competition, which is organised by the News Media Association, after a public vote.

Judges then chose the photo over entries from fellow nominees Ian Longthorne, of the Maidenhead Advertiser, and Jason Bryant, of the Western Gazette.

Said Stuart: “I am absolutely delighted to have won the Regional / Local Newspaper Photographer of the year. Photographing the Royal family and high ranking politicians via the rota system is one of my favourite parts of the job.

“Royal visits are big occasions for the communities that we in regional newspapers serve. It is important and an enormous privilege to attend these visits recording them for our readers and audience as well as for history.

“I’d like to thank the NMA for organising the competition and also thanks to the judging panel along with everyone who took the time to view all the entries in the public vote.

“The standard of entries again this year was very high and showcases the great work done by press photographers both nationally and at a local level.”

Judge Martin Keene, Press Association group picture editor, said: “On a visit to a tyre factory the photographer has used real imagination to frame the picture using a tyre – and that can be really hard amidst the security and management of a royal visit.

“It’s lifted a visit from the routine to the rather special.”

Lynne Anderson, NMA deputy chief executive, added: “Photography remains an important part of news media industry’s journalism and, through this competition, the NMA is pleased to shine a spotlight upon this work.