AMATEUR snapper Sarah Williams captured a slice of rural life for posterity and found herself the toast of viewers of BBC's Countryfile programme.

Sarah, from Minehead, had already been basking in the glory of having her photograph Pulling Power - featuring a horse drawn barge on the Tiverton Canal - chosen as one of 12 to appear in the 2012 Countryfile calendar.

But last Sunday, the programme's presenters announced that the 49-year-old office manager's photograph was the viewers' favourite and had won the title of 'Best in Show.'

Sarah, who works in the Wiveliscombe branch of accountants Amherst and Shapland, declared she was "delighted" to have won such a prestigious competition.

The Countryfile calendar costs £9 but at least £4 of every copy sold will go to the Children in Need appeal.

Sarah said she hoped her photograph would help to raise a large sum of money for the cause.

And she said she was particularly pleased to bring the public's attention to such a wonderful spot in the West Country.

"It is particularly rewarding that it will help to raise the profile of horse-drawn barges in the UK," she said.

"The picture I have taken at Tiverton Canal is the last horse-drawn barge in the South West and with only three others surviving nationally, they are very much a dying breed."

Sarah, who will receive £1,000 of photographic equipment in recognition of her achievement, won the calendar's working animals category.

Her interest in photography started with taking holiday snaps and has grown over the past ten years.

"I love taking landscapes and we have such wonderful countryside on our doorstep that it's great to be able to just go out walking on the hills."

Sarah and her husband made a special trip to the Tiverton Canal in June to take the winning photograph and having entered the competition for the last five years without success, she admits she was thrilled to have won a place in the calendar.

"I'm absolutely chuffed and this has certainly made me even keener to keep on taking photographs," she said.

Sarah is pictured with the winning photograph, which features Taffy the Welsh cob.

Photo: Steve Guscott