The Ashbourne News Telegraph is mourning the death of its photographer Keith Lomas, after a short illness.

Keith, (62), of Etwall, had been at the News Telegraph – a paid for broadsheet weekly title which is part of the Burton Daily Mail Group – since 1992.

Keith wanted to be a reporter but at 16 when he applied to Raymonds News Agency and they had no vacancies, he was offered instead a job as a trainee photographer.

He stayed with Raymonds for more than 25 years and then moved to theTrader Group of papers before the News Telegraph, for what his wife Judy has described as “the best years of his working life.”

He covered everything from agricultural shows and carnivals to Shrovetide football and sporting events, his cheerful, friendly and professional manner putting everyone at ease.

There were royal occasions too, one of his early jobs being the officialopening of Carsington Water by and later Princess Anne’s visit to Alstonefield and the Duchess of Kent at the Ashbourne Nestle factory.

Outside of work Keith was a home lover and an avid quiz fan, playing inthe Wednesday evening Derbyshire pub quiz league.

He liked to read, and to walk, and enjoyed nothing more than holidayingabroad to places such as Zanzibar, Tanzania, the GalapagosIslands, Peru, Nepal, India, Borneo and the Rain Forests.

His funeral will be at St Oswald’s church in Ashbourne, at 11.30am on Thursday, June 21. Donations in lieu of flowers will be given to the Sue Ryder Hospice at Staunton Harold, where Keith died on Wednesday June 13.

Back to the photography index

Keep us in the picture
Ring the HoldTheFrontPage newsdesk on
01332 291111 x6022, or to e-mail us now – click here