A regional press photographer is enjoying his 50th year focusing his skills to snap the top shots.

Frank Knowles has been at the Bolton Evening News since 1951, when he joined the company aged 15.

He plans to retire in March after half a century covering triumphs and tragedies from the Bolton area.

He started work at the paper following in the footsteps of his father, also Frank, and older brother. His father was a linotype operator and his brother was a leader writer.

Frank started work as an apprentice press telegraphist and spent four years at night school to hone photographic skills he learned during National Service with the RAF.

He said his time at the News had flown by – but not without a few mishaps along the way.

He said: “I fell into a partially-finished sewer in Bradshaw when I was trying to take pictures of it.

“I was with a group of people from the Council and once they knew I wasn’t hurt everyone had a good laugh as I was covered in mud.

“Another time I went to take a picture of a couple celebrating their golden wedding and when I arrived the woman had died and her husband thought I was the undertaker and tried to send me into the room where her body was!”

He added: “I will really miss everyone because all the people are smashing, so I will be sad to leave.”

In retirement Frank, and his wife Judith, are to move house and they hope to book a holiday to Austria later this year.

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