A MAJOR tourist attraction in Worcestershire is inviting visitors to let their creative talents shine and show them off by entering two competitions it has launched this year.

West Midlands Safari Park, Bewdley, is asking budding wildlife artists and keen photographers to enter their most appealing works into the new competitions and have the chance of being named Safari Photographer of the Year and Safari Artist of the Year.

The judges will be looking for originality - something that is unusual, striking, thought provoking, super cute, simply stunning or downright funny. It's a good opportunity for the whole family, with special categories in each competition for under 18s.

Competition organiser and judge Caroline Richards said: "This is the first time that we have organised this kind of competition. In the past we have encouraged visitors to send us their best photo entries for our annual calendar competition.

“This has always proved extremely popular and last year alone saw well over 700 entries. There are some incredibly talented people around and we are sure that it gives us as much pleasure to judge as it gives those the pleasure to enter.

“We are in mid-summer, which seems to bring out the very best creative side in visitors. We feel sure that we will be happily inundated with entries for both competitions during the next few months".

The competitions are free to enter and are open to anyone who feels that they have captured that perfect moment in the animal world. All of the photo entries need to have been taken at West Midland Safari Park during 2014 or 2015 and additionally art entries must be of an animal that is part of the wildlife collection at Bewdley.

Both competitions have six categories - Safari Artist of the Year features Wildlife in 3D, Wildlife in Colour, Wildlife in Monochrome, Contemporary Wildlife, Young Artist and Prehistoric Wildlife, which fits in with new Land of the Living Dinosaurs that launched the parks 42nd season.

Whilst Safari Photographer lists Wild Encounters, Wildlife in Colour and in Black and White, Contemporary Wildlife, Young Photographer and Prehistoric Wildlife, as its categories. Prizes range from iPads to VIP tours, and from annual to admission passes.

Up to five works of art per category can be entered, each of which must be accompanied by an entry form and submitted online by November 13 2015. Entry forms and further information on how to submit works can be downloaded from the park's respective websites: www.wmsp.co.uk/photo and www.wmsp.co.uk/art Alternatively, contact West Midland Safari Park by phone: 01299 402114 or email: safariphoto@wmsp.co.uk or safariart@wmsp.co.uk

The works of art selected by the judges will also be included in an exhibition being held at West Midland Safari Park in the New Year, when the winners from each category will be formally announced during an open evening on January 8 2016.