Countryfile

(The judges of this year's competition, from left to right: wildlife presenter/photographer Chris Packham, Countryfile presenter John Craven and comedy star Jo Brand.)

John Craven talks about this year's Countryfile Photographic Competition and the forthcoming calendar featuring the twelve finalists:

"This is the 11th Countryfile calendar, and all of them have been stunning - but it seems to me that, every year, the impossible happens and it gets even better. 'Wild and Wonderful' was this year's theme, and it certainly hit the spot because we had the most-ever pictures to choose from - an amazing 31,322, three times as many as last year.

We all had to cast aside many photographs which we would have been more than proud to have taken ourselves, so high was the standard. But our mission was to find the pictures that leapt out from all the others and which would stand the test of time on our calendar.

I'm sure you won't be disappointed with our final choice, and with the best of the rest which also adorn the pages. The 2009 calendar raised a record-breaking £369,000 for BBC Children in Need. I'm sure the 2010 figure will be even higher. And thanks to everyone who sent in pictures - we couldn’t have done it without you!"

See the winner and runners-up in this year's competition