A SWINDON Advertiser journalist has been honoured at this year’s German Travel Writers’ Awards.

The Adver’s assistant news editor, Stephen Davy-Osborne, was presented with an award by the German National Tourist Office in London on Wednesday at a ceremony hosting industry experts, German tourism bosses, and some of the leading names in the travel writing world.

Among some of the guests at the awards ceremony held at Trinity House near Tower Bridge were representatives from Lübeck and Travemünde Marketing, and the European Hansemuseum.

Stephen was awarded third prize in the 2017 print awards behind Lonely Planet magazine and The Guardian for his travel feature, A Trip to Cologne Makes Sense, which was published in the Adver in October.

The feature saw him explore the thriving urban quarter of Cologne, and overcome some unexpected vertigo while climbing a narrow metal spiral staircase exposed to the elements more than 100 metres up the twin towers of the city’s cathedral in order to secure the main image used in the feature.

Stephen said: “It was such a huge honour just to have my travel feature nominated for an award, let alone to win a prize among such industry greats as Lonely Planet and The Guardian. It was truly humbling. Thankfully I didn’t have to make a speech, as I was completely lost for words.

“Special thanks most go to production editor Gill Harris who came up with – what is now – an award winning headline for the piece, and for turning my words and photographs into a travel piece that will take pride of place in my clippings.”