Next time you’re lining up that perfect holiday photograph, you might consider checking there’s no-one standing beside you with the same scene in their viewfinder.

If you don't, there’s a slim chance you could – like one Telegraph reader – fall victim to accusations of plagiarism almost a decade later.

Once there, the Briton – a third year language student living in Santiago at the time – took a series of photographs, including the following:

In 2009, after moving back to Britain, she entered the photograph into The Telegraph's Big Picture photography competition.

Her picture was named among the best of the week, a feat that Scurr wouldn't consider again for six years. Until last month, that is, when the 29-year-old - now living and working in The Hague - suddenly found herself the target of allegations that she had breached copyright.

Marisol Ortiz Elfeldt, a Chilean reporter and amateur photographer, was so adamant that she had taken Scurr's photograph, she publicly denounced the Briton on Telegraph Travel's Facebook page - posting her own "non-Photoshopped original" picture as proof:

Given the similarity, one can sympathise with Elfeldt's staunch claims. Indeed, many on Facebook joined her crusade, bombarding Scurr with fierce insults - mostly in Spanish - and accusations of theft.

The Telegraph investigated the matter, and both women were able to supply originals - both of which, according to the photo metadata, were taken on the same day - November 6, 2006. A closer look also revealed a very slight difference in perspective - consistent with a moving boat. Which would lead to the remarkable conclusion that the two women were standing beside one another when they took the same photo just seconds apart.

"It's a bizarre coincidence and I'm suprised it doesn't happen more often," said Scurr. "You've got hundreds of people staring at landmarks or landscapes, all taking the same picture on their smartphone or camera. Hopefully, should anyone else find themselves in the same position, they will think twice before making public accusations. I'm delighted they've been proven to be false - I'm not a plagiarist."

Elfeldt, in an email to Telegraph Travel, said: "As incredible as it may seem, it looks like Sarah and I shared the same boat while visiting the glaciers in 2006. Once I saw the picture, which looks exactly like mine, I really thought it was the one I took that day - but it seems that she actually was there, right next to me, clicking almost at the same time."

Below, the similarity between Sarah Scurr's photograph and the image taken by Marisol Elfedt.