Former Grantham Journal photographer Peter Dean has died from a heart attack, aged 74.

The respected lensman was awarded an MBE on his retirement in 1999 having worked on his local paper for 53 years.

It was his father, also a photographer at the Journal, who taught him about photography. At 12 years old Peter worked as a freelancer alongside his dad and in the school holidays would be found accompanying reporters on stories.

At 16, he joined the Journal on a five-year apprenticeship and never looked back.

Peter covered hundreds of events during his time at the Journal, and became chief photographer in the 1960s, succeeding his father.

It is said he took some half a million photographs in more than 50 years and could be counted upon whenever a big news story broke in the area.

Apart from being an expert photographer, Peter was also a keen sportsman and in his time was a strong cyclist.

As a young man he signed up for national service in the RAF and aside from fitting cameras to reconnaissance bombers was also an enthusiastic and competitive rugby player.