An image of a dolphin surfing in the waves has claimed the top prize in the British Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.Picture: Karbus/BWPA

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An image of a dolphin surfing in the waves has claimed the top prize in the British Wildlife Photographer of

the Year competition. The dolphin's eye view shot was captured off the coast of Northern Ireland by

George Karbus, from County Clare, Ireland, who swam in the surf with the marine mammal to get the

winning image and secure the £5,000 prize. Mr Karbus said: "Each time the dolphin got into the wave, I

dived underneath, held my breath and waited for the moment when he would swish through a silver barrel

close enough to my lens. "Water visibility is always very limited in Ireland and I was very lucky to get a shot

like this." Winning images, video and selection of highly commended entries can be viewed at

http://www.bwpawards.co.uk

3Here are a selection of category winners and highly commended submissions from this year's competition. Above, 'Tommy' by Mark Thomas, winner of the Animal Portraits category.Picture: Mark Thomas/BWPA

4Animal Behaviour - Robin Orrow, from Norfolk, for 'deadly rivals' (grey wagtail)Picture: Robin Orrow/BWPA

Urban Wildlife - Jamie Hall, from Norfolk, for 'fallow deer on housing estate'Picture: Jamie Hall/BWPA 5

Wildwoods - Richard Packwood, from Powys, Wales, for 'badger in the woods'Picture: Richard Packwood/BWPA

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Habitat - Margaret Walker, from Inverness, Scotland, for 'red deer stags enduring blizzard'Picture: Margaret Walker/BWPA

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Botanical Britain - Robert Canis, from Kent, for 'in the shadow of giants' (saffrondrop bonnet)Picture: Robert Canis/BWPA

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Natural Details - Michael Gallagher, from London, for 'cuttlefish detail'Picture: Michael Gallagher/BWPA 9

British Seasons - Tomasz Garbacz, from Dundee, Scotland, for 'ptarmigan' (Spring)Picture: Tomasz Garbacz/BWPA 10

'Summer' in the ptarmigan series of pictures by Tomasz Garbacz which won the British Seasons awardPicture: Tomasz Garbacz/BWPA

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'Autumn' in the ptarmigan series of pictures by Tomasz Garbacz which won the British Seasons awardPicture: Tomasz Garbacz/BWPA 12

'Winter' in the ptarmigan series of pictures by Tomasz Garbacz which won the British Seasons awardPicture: Tomasz Garbacz/BWPA 13

Documentary Series - Neil Aldridge, from London, for 'the alternative' (badger vaccination)Picture: Neil Aldridge/BWPA 14

The winners of the Wildpix Young People's Awards were: Under 12 - Liam Constantine from Hull, East Yorkshire, for his image of a brown harePicture: Liam Constantine/BWPA

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WildPix 12-18 - Joseph Amess, Steyning, West Sussex, for his image of a great tit in flightPicture: James Amess/BWPA 16

Here are some of the highly commended submissions in this year's competition. 'Awakening otter', Shetland Islands, Scotland by Brydon Thomason.Picture: Brydon Thomason/BWPA

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Barrel jellyfish', Sark, Channel Islands by Sue DalyPicture: Sue Daly/BWPA

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'Elephant hawkmoth drinking nectar from wild honeysuckle flower at night', Ewelme, Oxfordshire by Malcolm SchuylPicture: Malcolm Schuyl/BWPA

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Mating Robberfiles', Skipwith Common, East Yorkshire by Oliver Charles WrightPicture: Oliver Charles Wright/BWPA 20

'Blacktailed godwits roosting with knots', Snettisham, Norfolk by Thomas HanahoePicture: Thomas Hanahoe/BWPA 21

'Habitat Engineers', Shetland Islands, Scotland by Richard ShucksmithPicture: Richard Shucksmith/BWPA 22

'Viewpoint' by James Knight, winner of the Hidden Britain categoryPicture: James Knight/BWPA 23

'Dormouse Hibernating', Paignton, Devon by Danny GreenPicture: Danny Green/BWPA

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'Cormorant with perch', Durham, Cheshire by Ben HallPicture: Ben Hall/BWPA 25

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