A photograph of a pair of European ground squirrels sharing a faded poppy on a lawn in Vienna has won a British photography prize.

       The squirrels are classified as vulnerable, mainly due to habitat loss.

       Dutch photographer Alex Pansier, who will now receive ￡300, described the moment he saw the pair: "I really enjoyed watching them working together, like father and son."

       He added: "For me, observing and photographing nature is a great way to unwind and share the beauty that’s all around us."

       The 2021 Close-up Photographer of the Year Challenge: Two of a Kind runs throughout November but this year's theme celebrates close-up, macro and micro pictures of two similar things – from a pair of animals to a duo of cells or flowers.

       British photographer Barry Webb took second place with his image of a pair of slime moulds.

       Other pictures to have made the winners gallery include a pair of Gold-tailed Melitta bees asleep in a flower by Joris Vegter, two Harlequin shrimps feasting on a blue starfish by Adriano Morettin, a microscopic view of the tiny hairs on the stem of a spiny sowthistle by Gerd A, Günther, and a pair of pears lit by a flashlight to give the appearance of an Old Masters painting by Heidi Egerman.

       Tracy Calder, co-founder of of the competition, said, "These stunning pictures show the power of two, whether that’s two ground squirrels working together or two stag beetles battling for mates in a woodland arena. Yet again, entrants have shown that close-up photography can help us see the world anew and discover beauty in subjects that are often overlooked."

       The winning gallery can be seen in full here.