Photographer's stunning shot goes viral

Ian took the beautiful picture of the moon rising behind Billinge Hill which has had more than 1,500 likes on social media.

The image dramatically frames the beacon on top of the hill and also captures silhouettes of walkers enjoying the view and the snowy landscape.

Ian took the shot, which has been shared hundreds of times online, from Crank near Rainford but explained that getting the perfect picture was a marathon effort.

The 52-year-old Billinge photographer said: “I’ve been trying to get that shot for about five years. You get about one chance a month and you have to be in the right place at the right time and hope the weather is playing along.

“The reaction has been unbelievable. It has far exceeded anything I could have expected.”

Ian, who works as an engineer, was inspired to create his shot by a photo of Glastonbury Tor he saw on the front of a national newspaper.

He started taking photography seriously as a hobby when his wife Barbara bought him a camera for his 40th birthday.

Ian says he now plans to get further pictures of the moon rising over the hill from even further away and also wants to take pictures of Winter Hill and the sun setting behind Blackpool Tower.

For more information search for Ian Bonnell Photography on Facebook.

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