A WESTCLIFF mum fended off thousands of budding photographers to come up trumps in a global competition - by using her iPhone.

Ex-Cecil Jones Academy pupil Laura Cook, 35, won the top prize in the Food Sn-Apping category, for this year’s Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year awards, which attracted 8,400 entries from around the world.

Her touching picture Waiting for Stew trumped the Sn-Apping category, which recognises the best images taken on mobile phones.

Laura, who lives in Ronald Park Avenue, explained the inspiration behind the shot came while working in Cameroon for humanitarian aid charity All We Can.

She said: “That day I was working with a widower we have helped, Anna Muke.

“In Cameroon, when a woman loses her husband she also loses her land, so Anna became homeless as well as a widow.

“I was meant to interview her that day but, it was raining so heavily on her tin roof we couldn’t hear each other.

“Anna cooked stew for her children, so when the meal was finished I took the photo.”

The mother-of-two received the prize from TV food critic Jay Rayner at a champagne reception at the Mall Galleries, London.

The panel of judges included David Loftus, Jamie Oliver’s photographer, and celebrity chef Gary Rhodes.

The event was attended by guests and photographers from around the world, including the USA, Bangladesh and Italy.

Laura continued: “Winning the award means an awful lot to me.

“It represents Anna’s journey, a woman we have helped, who was homeless but after two years she now has a small home.

“It shows no matter where you are, food brings families and people together.

“Food is such a big issue. There are still 795 million undernourished people.

“To think not everybody has access to that (food) in 2017 is crazy.

“To take the photo and win the award is a humbling experience.”

The photo, taken in November, shows the feet of Anna’s children Nina, five and Diana seven. waiting to eat the stew.

Laura who has been a humanitarian photographer since 2010, added: “I’m not a food photographer.

“Part of my job is taking photos as I tell the stories of the people we help as a charity.”

All We Can is a pioneering international development, relief and advocacy organisation.

It has its roots in the British Methodist Church and is inspired by Christian principles to focus on those in greatest need.

The Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year is open to professional and amateur snappers, old and young,. The awards celebrate the very best in food photography and film.