HERE’S a challenge: try and look at this lot without cracking a smile.

Last week we challenged the latest members of the new Oxford Mail Camera Club to send us pictures with a simple theme – smiles.

As it was, this week turned out to be one of the darkest in recent British history, so we hope some of our readers will appreciate a few of these beautiful smiles to remind us of the great things in life.

With dozens and dozens of you sending in pics, it’s going to be more difficult than ever to choose a winner, but there are certainly some highlights.

Among them is this extraordinary interpretation of the brief by James Fallows: a vortex of smiles in a sea of blue sky which he said he took on Easter Bank Holiday.

Dawn Tivnan’s shot of her two grandchildren taking a bubble bath is priceless, as is Jackie Simmon’s submission which proves that even dogs smile sometimes.

Becca Collacott sent us a picture of what she called a smiling gargoyle at Dorchester Abbey and, at the risk of spoiling the good mood, here’s an interesting fact: it’s only a gargoyle if it has water coming out of its mouth (or some other orifice) – any other face carved on the side of a church or any other building is strictly called a grotesque. Anyway...

Since launching last month, more than 160 of you have signed up to our camera club for a chance to win a cash prize just for snapping the scenery as you’re out and about.

Each week, we will be awarding £25 to the photograph judged best by our chief photographer Ed Nix.

Some of the best photos will also appear here in our weekly spread and be considered for a 2018 Oxford Mail calendar.

Joining us in this venture is photographic specialists Jessops, which is offering members discounts of up to 30 per cent on a range of products and services.

To join the club and receive your Oxford Mail loyalty card, email promotions@nqo.com

For next week’s challenge our theme is ‘feast your eyes’, so get snapping and tuck in!