Photographs, illustrations and paintings by local people will represent Brighton and Hove on the web.

The winning entries have been chosen in a competition to find the best pictures for use as electronic postcards to be sent all over the world.

Dozens of images were submitted to the contest, run by the city council, and three were chosen by judges Simon Bradshaw, editor of The Argus, Guardian photographer Roger Bamber, council tourism marketing manager Mel Sensicle, and Tony Miller, director of communications at the council.

It was good news for amateur photographer James Cook.

He not only took the top spot with his striking image of a seagull flying over a lamp post, he also won third prize with his shot of West Pier at sunset.

Mr Cook, 37, of Westbourne Gardens, Hove has been an enthusiastic photographer since he got his first picture published at the age of 14.

Mr Cook said: "I stood next to the lamp post for about ten minutes before I got the right image. I got a few funny looks but I'm used to that.

"The gull photo was one of the first I took with the digital camera I bought recently. "

Second prize was won by Lesley Towns, 46, of Abinger Road, Portslade.

Ms Towns, who has been interested in photography for more than 20 years, entered a digitally-enhanced shot of beach huts on Hove seafront.

She said: "It was just a standard postcard picture which I wanted to make look more interesting, and possibly even more attractive."

The three images will appear on the council web site at www.brighton-hove.gov.uk during September.