Photographer Cate Gillon has scooped two top awards for her work for the Edinburgh Evening News and The Herald.

She won the Picture Essay of the Year category and the News Picture of the Year prize at the inaugural First ScotRail Scottish Press Photography Awards.

Also a winner on the night was Neil Hanna of The Scotsman, who won Features Photographer of the Year, and Mark Sutherland from the North Scot Press Agency who was crowned Young Photographer of the Year.

The overall Photographer of the Year accolade went to David Cheskin from the Press Association, who won praise from judges for his portfolio of eight shots which they said demonstrated excellence across news, features and sport.

Renowned Scottish photographer Harry Benson received a Lifetime Achievement Award, and travelled from his home in New York to collect the gong.

All the prizes were presented by First Minister Jack McConnell MSP at a ceremony at Our Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh.

A full list of winners is below.

The competition attracted more than 3,000 entries after making a return after a five-year absence, and First ScotRail has signed up to sponsor the awards for three years.

All the finalists's work can be seen at www.scottishppa.com.

The winners of the Scottish Press Photography Awards 2005 are:

Lifetime Achievement Award
Harry Benson