READING scenes will be in the frame in a church competition to find a photo for its offices.

Reading Family Church is challenging amateur photographers to snap a scene that shows the spirit of the town. Pastor Sean Green, who earlier this year based his sermons on news stories from sister paper The Chronicle, said: "Images that capture the changing face of Reading, new buildings coming up or old buildings going down would be interesting. I do like looking at our history but also what we are becoming as a town."

The deadline for entries is Friday, September 25, and the winning photo will be displayed at the church's offices in London Street, Reading.

Shortlisted competitors will be invited to a drinks reception at the offices at 8pm on Wednesday, October 14, when a panel of three judges from the church and The Chronicle will announce the first, second and third prize winners and present vouchers. Anyone with a Reading home address can submit up to four photos by post. Inquiries - but not photos - can be emailed to photo@readingfamilychurch.org.uk

The church meets at 10am on Sundays Reading Girls' School in Northumberland Avenue, Whitley, see www.readingfamilychurch.org.uk

The rules:

"Entrants must not be professional photographers and, for the purposes of this competition, a professional photographer will be considered to be someone who makes more than half their annual income from the sale of their photographs."

"Each entry should be marked with name, address, contact telephone number (both daytime and evening) and where the photo was taken.

"No entries can be returned and proof of posting is not proof of receipt. The organisers accept no responsibility for entries lost, damaged or delayed in the post.

"All entries will be judged by a panel of three judges. The judges will select a shortlist (the 'Finalists') whose photos, in their opinion, best illustrate the theme of the competition. They will consider a range of factors including composition, technical ability, originality, and the interpretation of the brief.

"All entries must be the original work of the entrant and must not infringe the rights of any other party. The entrants must be the sole owner of copyright in all photographs entered and must have obtained permission of any people featured in the entries or their parents/guardians if children under 16 are featured. Entrants must not have breached any laws when taking their photographs.

"Prior to submission, entrants must not have offered any of their entries for sale, been paid for any publication of any of their entries or won or been a runner up in any other photographic competition with any of their entries.

"Entrants will retain copyright of the photographs that they submit. By entering the competition all entrants grant to Reading Family Church the right to publish and exhibit their photographs (including on the church website).

"By entering, entrants will be deemed to have agreed to be bound by these rules and Reading Family Church reserves the right to exclude any entry from the competition at any time and in its absolute discretion if Reading Family Church has reason to believe that an entrant has breached these rules."