AN amateur photographer, with over 30 years experience behind the lens, couldn’t quite believe his luck when he managed the perfect shot - on his door step.

The image - of a squirrel sniffing a daffodil - would later be seen by millions, for Brian Stokoe, formerly of Prudhoe, scooped up the prize for viewers’ choice in this year’s BBC Countryfile Calender Competition.

With over 60,000 entries, ‘A Scent of Spring’ pipped twelve other finalists to the post to occupy the top spot - the front cover - and also the month of March.

Brian, who now lives in Drumnadrochit, in the Scottish Highlands, said: “I still can’t believe it!”

The shot, taken on an Olympus camera, using a 300 mf 2.8 lens, was submitted unbeknown to Brian, a former pharmacy assistant at Hexham General Hospital for over 20 years, by his wife, Catherine.

He added: “It was all thanks to my wife - she said she had told me, but I don’t remember!

“The picture makes you smile as soon as you see it. It’s amazing what wildlife is close by, I am very lucky.”

Brian, who took early retirement six years ago after a Tyne Valley car crash saw him suffer a broken back, has been overwhelmed by the public’s response.

“I didn’t expect the reaction at all”, he said. “It was amazing, from people I went to school with, to people I don’t even know, all around the UK.

“This must be my Andy Warhol moment - 15 minutes of fame!”

And the viewers weren’t the only ones to enjoy Brian’s camera work, with Countryfile presenter, John Craven, full of praise.

He said: “To me, this truly represents our theme, of bright and beautiful, because we’ve got the brightness of the daffodil and the beautiful, perky, little, red squirrel looking very cute and inquisitive. To me, this is the perfect cover shot.”

The Countryfile calender is now on sale, with a minimum of £4.50 from each sale donated to the Children in Need appeal.