[silversnapper1]

At £300 you will probably have to be looking at second hand as most of the entry level dslr's come in at around £400 including a lens.

If you don't intend saving that extra, try and find a shop that deals second hand cameras and go and handle a couple of the models that they have to offer to see which has the functions that you require and more importantly which feels most comfortable to you.

If you do want to save the extra, excellent entry models are the Nikon D3100 and the Canon D1100. Again go to a shop and handle them for comfort.

Don't forget that you will need money for memory cards and possibly a spare battery (always recommended).

When you get the camera home, have a good read of the manual and get plenty of practice, even if it means shooting in the living room, just to see what the camera can do for you.