Norwegian Hege Johnsen has been named student photographer of the year.

She trained at Sheffield College and joined the Wiltshire Gazette 18 months ago.

Hege (below) entered the Press Gazette contest during her five-month training course in Sheffield.

Gazette editor Gary Lawrence said: "Hege is a great photographer with lots of flair. She joined us without any newspaper experience. But during her time here has shown huge enthusiasm.

"Her win is really well deserved and came on the same day that she learnt she had done incredibly well with all her college examinations."

Hege, who was presented with a certificate and a cheque for £500, said: "I am really proud but surprised to win. I was shocked when they read my name out."

Her winning entry comprised three photos. One was a dramatic picture of police breaking down a door during a dawn drugs raid, another captured an unusual shot of a beast leaping in the air while covering a cross country athletic event and her third was of rough sea at the Dorset coast - taken during a rare weekend off.

Since joining the Gazette, Hege has benefited from working with experienced photographer Colin Kearley, who has built on her college work and coached her through the intricacies of working at an English weekly newspaper - including a full grounding in cricket coverage, an assignment not normally covered back home in Norway!