A BUDDING photographer has won a national competition after his image was praised for highlighting the dangers to railway workers.

Network Rail signal and telecoms technician Christopher Draper, from Hereford, took the picture outside the city's railway station before entering it into a competition focusing on health and safety in the workplace.

Christopher beat over 50 other budding photographers to secure first place in the ‘Focus: on safety at work’ competition. He will receive the largest share of the £5,000 prize money and his winning entry will be showcased at the People’s History Museum in Manchester between August 31 and September 4.

Mr Draper’s work was described by the judges as a ‘visually strong image’ taken in ‘technically difficult photographic conditions’. They commented that the photograph was 'a stark reminder of dangers workers encounter and of the importance of modern safety equipment’.

The competition, launched by national trade union law firm Thompsons Solicitors on International Workers Memorial Day earlier this year, aimed to encourage workers to consider the importance of safe working environments and the potential for injury, illness and even death when employers do not protect their employees.

Mr Draper said: “My colleagues and I were tasked with renewing stretcher bars on a set of points at Hereford station and the picture is of one of my colleagues cutting off the old stretchers with a petrol driven disk cutter. I hoped to highlight how proper health and safety at work allows us to use dangerous equipment safely.”