Thirty photographers who enter the 2000 Picture Editors' Awards - but miss out on being nominated - will still get the chance to party.

Sponsors Fujifilm are making it possible for them to be invited to the awards ceremony at London's Guildhall on February 12.

The deadline for entries is noon on Monday, January 15, but already they are running at record levels, with online entries coming from as far afield as Australia, India, Canada, and America.

The Awards, organised by the Picture Editor's Guild and sponsored by Fujifilm - with additional funding from Guinness, the Corporation of London, and top pro-lab CETA - will be judged by a jury of 40 picture editors from throughout the UK and Ireland.

Fujifilm director Graham Rutherford said: "To mark the Millennium Awards, Fujifilm will be inviting 30 photographers - entrants who do not succeed in gaining nominations this year - to the award ceremony at London's Guildhall.

"The entry this year has been exceptional, with some truly stunning images. It's just a pity that we can't invite all the entrants. The awards always prove that the tradition of great Fleet Street parties is not dead."

Invitees will be drawn at random from the database of more than 600 photographers. There are 11 categories, with a prize fund in excess of £20,000.