A photographer and adventurer who worked for an East Midlands weekly for two decades has died of breast cancer.

Derrick Furlong, left, joined the now defunct Louth Standard in 1981 after having spent 11 years during the 1960s and 70s working in Peru as an industrial photographer.

The 76-year-old was diagnosed with the disease in February and died at the Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital, in Grimsby.

Breast cancer is diagnosed in around 300 men a year compared with more than 45,000 cases in women.

Derrick’s son Damian, who runs a photography firm, told the Louth Leader: “He loved wildlife and was a real outdoors kind of person. He loved travelling and going to new places.

“Photography was his main passion and he loved to take photos of wildlife. He wasn’t a man of financial needs, material things didn’t matter to him.

“He was very content with his life and what he had which is great satisfaction to us all.

“He wasn’t just my father; he was my friend and work colleague. I went travelling with him and I can say I have no unfinished business with him, which makes me very lucky”.

Derrick was born in London and at 17 joined the Merchant Navy, later working as an air steward for British Airways.

He is survived by brother Bob, sons Damian and Dominic and four grandchildren. Derrick’s third wife Debi lives in America.

His funeral takes place today at St James’ Church, in Louth, at 11am.