A STUNNING image of four cheetahs caught in an unexpected downpour during dry season in Tanzania, captured by Andover photographer Sue Morris, will appear in a brand-new fundraising book.

Sue’s photo is one of 10 images in the book chosen from thousands of global entrants to a competition launched earlier this year.

All 10 winning photos will appear alongside dozens of other images from some of the world’s best-known wildlife photographers, in the book 'Remembering Cheetahs'.

Sue captured the image of mum and three of her four cheetah cubs during a downpour in Ndutu, Tanzania.

She said: “This family of cheetahs is so special to me because we’d come across them 10 months before this picture was taken, when the cubs were only three or four months old and we watched them for five days.

"We followed this little family going through their run-ins with lions and hyenas and their struggle to feed and we willed them to be OK.

"A year later, we returned and heard they were still doing well, which is unusual, as cheetahs – particularly young cheetahs – face many perils.

"When we saw them, we immediately knew it was them and we got to see them three or four more times. It was the dry season, so it was unusual to have a downpour.”

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Sue Morris

Sue, who gave up a career in corporate HR six years ago to set up as a professional photographer, specialises in portrait, weddings and commercial work, as well as her beloved wildlife. Initially, Sue wasn’t going to enter the image into the competition, but changed her mind when someone saw it on her website and told her how much they loved it.

Sue added: “It’s such an amazing series of books – a fantastic combination of photographers that have donated their images, many of whom are household names – and the images are stunning."

“But more importantly, it’s about what is being done with the money raised from the books. As a photographer it’s fantastic to get your image in a book, but the real buzz with Remembering Cheetahs is knowing that we’re all helping to make a difference.”