A man who got into photojournalism by accident is celebrating 40 years in the regional newspaper industry.

Peter Ward, (right), first started out as a draughtsman but he acquired a camera from a friend, took some shots at a road accident and got hooked.

He met Daily Sketch photographer Bob Little at the scene, was advised to developed a portfolio, was subsequently recommended to the Hemel Hempstead Gazette – and the rest is history.

At 62, he’s covered a range of major jobs, including royal visits, Concorde, Margaret Thatcher and the Buncefield incident.

Since 1966, he’s seen many faces come and go and ushered in an era of new technology.

He maintains it’s hard to think of it as a job, and said: “It’s become more a way of life.

“I have met some really interesting people and I have been to places you would not normally go to in any other job.

“I have been behind the scenes and met all sorts of lovely people – and some not so lovely; famous people and not so famous – you know there are some lovely people out there.

“I have photographed royalty – The Queen, Prince Philip, Prince Andrew, Princess Anne and Princess Margaret. And I met and spoke to the then Duchess of York at Rossway, Berkhamsted.

“And I’ve photographed most of the Prime Ministers including Harold Wilson, Margaret Thatcher, James Callaghan – he was a really nice man – he said ‘hello’ to me as he walked past.”

When Peter started in newspapers the Gazette was privately owned by the Needham family. He saw it pass to the De Fraines and then into the hands of public companies EMAP and Johnston Press.

He’s also seen the change from film to digital – the Gazette was first in its group to get the new technology.

Peter admires its immediacy and its versatility. “It’s a great leap forward but I never thought it would come so quickly.

“It’s amazing the way the cameras have got so much better than the early ones, which were ponderous and heavy.”

Over the years, it is the airborne trips that have stuck in his mind – perhaps an echo to his original career path in the air industry.

He said: “I went on Concorde – to photograph local prize winners in a Post Office competition. We flew from Stansted and went across England, down the Bristol Channel and out into the Atlantic and back along the south coast and the Isle of Wight to Stansted.

“We did Mach2 for about 20 minutes – it was absolutely phenomenal. The lift off was unbelievably exhilarating. The pilot stood it on its tail and we went straight up and levelled out. Fantastic.”