A daily’s features editor beat off entries from a string of national publications to win an award for travel writing about France.

The Oxford Mail’s Tim Hughes, pictured left, triumphed in the Best Newspaper Article category of the French Travel Article of the Year Awards.

His winning entry was a piece on mountain biking and other adventure sports in Les Deux Alpes, which impressed judges from the Association of British Travel Organisers to France.

Tim says he is “delighted” to have won the award.

He added: “The Oxford Mail prides itself on the quality of its feature writing – particularly travel, which is endlessly fascinating and a great deal of fun, so it means a lot to have been selected in the face of stiff competition from some of the best travel writers in the business, by a panel of judges who really know their stuff.

“France, and Savoie in particular, is a fabulous destination, so it was doubly gratifying to be recognised for writing about one of my favourite activities – mountain biking – in one of my favourite places – the high Alps.

“I can’t wait to get back.”

Tim’s winning article can be read here.