Budding photographer Lucy Best is so besotted with animals she entered a photo competition with little desire to win – she just wanted to raise cash for her favourite animal charity.

Lucy, of Coulsdon, may only be 13 but she already has her heart set on becoming a vet.

And despite repeated attempts to become a volunteer at South Godstone RSPCA centre, all she can do is watch the helpless animals as she is too young to work.

Instead, by using her skills in the RSPCA Young Photographer Awards 2009, the charity got 61p every time someone voted for her.

Lucy, a pupil at Greenacre School for Girls in Banstead, said: "There are lots of animals that don't have any homes and the RSPCA looks after them.

"It was quite a surprise and I didn't expect to get this far. I saw the other entries and they were all really good," she added.

Throughout the summer Lucy used her dad, Simon's top-of-the-range camera to take a series of wildlife photographs.

And it was one of these – a picture of her pet lizard, Steg, that won her a place in the competition.

She explained: "My dad got a new camera and asked me to take some test shots and he entered the photo I took of Steg into the competition."

Lucy who lives in Coulsdon Court Road, also has pet guinea pigs and she spends hours photographing them in the garden – setting up courses for them, or just sitting waiting for birds to fly over.

Her mother Diane, 43, a secretary at Coulsdon Church of England Primary School, in Old Coulsdon, said: "Lucy's always loved animals. Steg is very tame and she loves him to bits – they're always running about the house, or she's offering to walk friends' dogs.

"She goes down to the RSPCA centre and sees the animal's plight and she likes the thought that she can do something for them.

"When she saw the competition it was like a red rag to a bull."

It is no surprise Lucy is a dab hand at photography as she regularly goes fishing with her dad to take photos.

In fact, she usually never leaves the house without her camera.

Although sadly, she recently broke it, which is why she would now like to win first prize in the competition – state-of-the-art equipment.

While photography is just a hobby of Lucy's, she is completely dedicated to it and the family already have their next picture-perfect trip planned.

Mrs Best said: "She loves red squirrels so we're going to Brownsea Island in Poole, Dorset – it's one of the only places in England where they are."

Voting for the RSPCA competition closed last Saturday and the winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at the Tower of London on December 11, hosted by ex-Blue Peter presenter, Matt Baker.

Her picture has also been selected for the People's Choice Award, a category in the competition, run by the Daily Express and Sunday Express newspapers.