A photograph of a fox taken at first light in the grounds of Leeds Castle in Kent has won first prize in an international competition.

The photo taken by Robert Canis placed first in the Mammal category of the European Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, which received nearly 18,000 entries from more than 30 countries.

This was his third time entering the competition, organised by the German Society for Nature Photography.

Mr Canis said: “To say I was a little surprised and, of course, thrilled would be an understatement!”

It took a full day for Mr Canis to set up the cameras, and he would return every three-five days to check on them.

He found the picture that caught his attention “two weeks and multiple visits later”, taken as part of a six-year project documenting the “natural history” of Leeds Castle.

The competition had nine categories, and was assessed by a panel of judges including senior photo editor for National Geographic Alexa Keefe.

“I’ve taken photographs to share experiences and make people care more about the natural world,” he said.

“Anywhere can be a place for photography,” he added, noting that “the best places to take pictures are where you live”.

Mr Canis won €800 (£664.60) prize money.