A well-known regional press and agency photographer who once spent three days living with writer Dylan Thomas and later looked after the European Cup at his home for a night has died.

Tributes have been paid to Les Parkin, who worked on the Western Mail and later for Raymonds news and photographic agency, in Derby, where he eventually became managing director.

Stories he covered included an attempted escape by Great Train Robber Tom Wisbey from Leicester Prison in 1966, when he came close to being shot down after police mistook the helicopter he had been sent up in for one being used to help the prisoner.

Cardiff-born Les was married to Raymonds’ only female reporter Pat, who later became women’s editor of the Derby Telegraph, while their son David also later worked as a reporter on the paper.

Les’s career began at the age of 15 when he got a job as an office boy working in the photographic dark rooms of the Western Mail before joining a Cardiff photographic and press agency as a photographer.

Recalled David: “He remembered being sent to get some shots of a boozy literary figure in West Wales called Dylan Thomas. Dad spent three days living with the legendary poet at his Boathouse home in Laugharne, sleeping on a mattress in the cupboard under the stairs.”

After two years’ National Service with the Royal Artillery and some time working in London, he moved to Derby with Raymonds.

He became a close friend of the company’s owner, Lionel Pickering, who went on to launch the Trader series of free newspapers before buying Derby County in the 1980s, and regularly attended Rams’ matches with his boss.

Les also covered Derby County’s glory days when the club won league titles under Brian Clough and Dave Mackay, and he travelled across Europe with the team to cover their matches in the European and UEFA cups.

After Clough eventually won the European Cup with Nottingham Forest he allowed Les to take the trophy home for one night, so that he could get photographs with it.

Said David: “Cloughie also took the cup to a celebration dinner at a Chinese restaurant in Derby and phoned dad to come and take some photographs.

“Dad was due to go out for dinner with friends so the legendary manager invited them all to join him and ordered champagne to celebrate.”

Television sports executive Trevor East, who began his career at Raymonds added: “As a trainee journalist, I had the pleasure of working with Les for five years after leaving school in 1967. He was a brilliant photographer and a lovely bloke who would always find time to help a young lad learning his trade.”

“He also possessed a fiery temper experienced by anyone who didn’t reach his exacting standards. And that included the owners on a fairly frequent basis, much to the amusement of the rest of the office.”

Les, who is also survived by daughter Kathryn, suffered a brain haemorrhage five years ago which affected his ability to speak and walk.

David said: “How he lived so long was testament to his strength and spirit – and unbelievably devoted care from my mum.”

His funeral will be held at St Paul’s Church, Quarndon, Derbyshire, from 2pm on Tuesday 23 October.