Lancaster snapshot helps illuminate life under lockdown

Overnight, measures to combat the coronavirus outbreak saw the way we live transformed.

And to mark these unprecedented times, Cartridge Save held a competition to find the nation’s most iconic lockdown snap.

From graduations held in lockdown, to honouring key workers, 25 images have made it onto the shortlist - before a public vote helps decide the overall winner.

Hundreds of entries across the UK were submitted over the last few months, with a panel of experts whittling down the final 25.

The shortlist includes Sharon Telford from Lancaster, who captured a beautiful photograph of grandparents meeting their granddaughter for the first time through social distancing.

She said: “The people in the photo are my son Liam Telford and his partner Lucy Humphrey with baby Ivy May who was born 12 days early on May 17.

"The couple in the background are Lucy's parents Julie and Dale, who had travelled over two hours to meet their first grandchild at a social distance.”

The competition has seen entries from three categories: under 18s, 18-50, and over 50s.

A public vote will account for 25 per cent of the final judging, and then a panel of experts will choose a winner from each category, and finally decide an overall winner who will take home a cash prize.

Judging the competition is national freelance newspaper and magazine journalist Deborah Linton.

She said: “What I love about this competition is that each image has an individual story to tell. It’s been great seeing what friends and families across the UK have been doing during lockdown and how they have pulled through together.”

Also judging the competition is national press photographer Mark Waugh.

Mark said: “We’ve had some fantastic entries to the competition and I'm really impressed with the images we’ve received from all over the UK. From the good to the bad, lockdown has tested us all over the last few months, and these images really showcase that.”

Managing director of Cartridge Save, Ian Cowley, added: “We wanted to create this competition to capture history happening through the eyes of regular people up and down the country.

"It’s important to remember these moments so that future generations can look back and see how we survived lockdown.”

Public voting is now under way for the competition and will close on August 24.

Check out all of the 25 finalists and vote for your favourite here