John Foggin has won the Plough poetry prize for the second year in succession, it has been announced. It is his third poetry prize in a year, for, sandwiched in between the two Plough successes, he also won the Camden Lumen competition. Andrew Motion was the judge for his first two successes – and his latest was awarded by Scotland’s makar, Liz Lochhead.

In her judge’s comments Lochhead said: “I chose as my first prize 'At Tarskavaig' for its clarity, its earthy sensuousness of both image and sound. I could almost feel the weather and smell the salt air.  Then an evocation of a mystery, and of a vivid otherness at its strong ending.”

Foggin’s prizewinning Camden Lumen poem was included in the latest Forward prize anthology. As the congratulations on his latest success poured in on Facebook, one fellow poet described him as “a poetry comp winning machine”.

Foggin, a host at Puzzle Hall Poets at Sowerby Bridge, said: "Last time Liz Lochhead commented on one of my poems it was in an Arvon workshop. She gave it the critical equivalent of a Glasgow kiss. It deserved it. I must be getting better." However, he said that his victory was "bittersweet", because "five of my friends were on the shortlist", adding: "Sir Andrew Motion didn't judge this one. And no. I still haven't met him."

Background: Prize poet John Foggin 

PHOTOGRAPH: GREG FREEMAN / WRITE OUT LOUD