A schoolgirl who beat 10,000 people in a photography competition with her underwater picture of a turtle has a secret to tell - she didn't even get wet.

Stephanie Hencher, aged 13, came runner-up in the national RSPCA Young Photographer Awards, despite being one of the youngest in her age group.

Judges were impressed by Stephanie's snap but, although the camera never lies, she said it was not as risky to take as it looked.

"It was taken while we were on holiday in Florida," said Stephanie, who lives in Powick, near Worcester.

"It wasn't in the sea but in an aquarium in a theme park. While everyone else was looking at the hippos in the corner, I started taking pictures of the turtle with the fish around it.

"I didn't think it was going to turn out very well as it was just in an aquarium but when it came out it was pretty good."

Stephanie had to go to the prestigious Spencer Gallery at the Natural History Museum in London to find out how well her photograph had fared.

"It was a bit nerve-wracking because I was one of the youngest and they had everybody's pictures on the wall and some of them were really good," she said.

"I didn't think I had a chance."

Stephanie, who attends Dyson Perrins High School in Malvern, won an Olympus digital camera and hopes to use it to carry on capturing wildlife.

"I've always really liked animals and this has made me even more determined to take pictures of them," said Stephanie.

It was double delight for her because she won the prize on her 13th birthday.

The photographs were judged by television presenter and wildlife photographer Chris Packham.

To find out how to enter next year's competition, log on to www.rspca.org.uk/ypa