In the last few days we have received a few messages from concerned entrants with regards to the voting on our site. We have been investigating this and can now substantiate that unfortunately there has been an indeterminate amount of manipulation/cheating happening. We at The Shell Case are extremely disappointed and saddened with this realisation.

We cannot prove that any particular entrants were actually involved in this, so all entries still stand, but the public vote has been closed and will be discounted. The voting will now fall to The Shell Case team and we will be looking to make a unanimous decision and the winners will be announced tomorrow.

I do find it sad that some people found it necessary to manipulate the vote in a community such as ours, and hope they feel ashamed of themselves for ruining what was our first – and now our last – public vote painting competition.

- Mat