A photographer whose career running a regional daily’s picture desk spanned three decades has died aged 86.

Tributes have been paid to Fred Williams, who ran the picture desk at North Wales daily The Leader in the 1970s, 80s and 90s.

Former colleagues have shared their memories of Fred, pictured, following his death.

Among them was former Leader editor Reg Herbert.

He told the newspaper: I was both a friend and colleague of Fred Williams for many years.

“He was both an exceptionally good photographer but good company too.

“He was a workaholic night and day and nothing was too much trouble for him while working and running a very busy picture desk at the Evening Leader while also giving help to of the photographers at the company’s offices.

“Fred will be sadly missed not only by his family but also by the many friends and former colleagues in the Wrexham area who had the good fortune to know or work with him.”

Fred also covered Wrexham AFC football matches, both domestically and during the club’s participation in European competitions.

Mike Dean was mentored by Fred when he joined the then-Evening Leader’s newsroom in 1974.

He said: “He took me under his wing and taught me an awful lot in the first few months that opened my eyes. He taught me how to put people at ease and get a natural picture.

“He always used to say that you should take a picture that tells the story the reporter is writing. It shouldn’t be a head and shoulders or just a house, it should go halfway to telling the story.

“When I go out on a job now I still think about that. He was just a great mentor for the first six months and a good friend from then on.

“The two of us went to cover the old Whitbread village cricket final at Lords. I remember we were sitting in deckchairs on top of the scoreboard taking pictures and then had a wonderful meal afterwards in the members’ dining room. It was a brilliant day with a really nice bloke.”

Mike recalled another job with Fred at RAF Brize Norton after the end of the Falklands War.

He said: “Another big job that we did together was at RAF Brize Norton when they came back from the Falklands.

“We were looking for locals and Fred had a sign with the ‘Leader’ written on it, waving it and asking anyone from Wrexham to come over and chat to us.

“It was hundreds of squaddies looking for wives and girlfriends and us asking if any of them were from Wrexham.

“We got some good stories and lovely photos of families being reunited.”

Frd outlived his wife Mary, with whome he haf children Alec, Sophie, Jody and Scott.

He was grandfather to Erin, 11, Eden, 11, Evelyn, three, Theo, three, Olly, two, Max, 10 months, and seven-month-old Ada.

Sophie told The Leader: “Even after he was retired, he had four young children to look after, and still kept going as a wedding photographer, taking it in turns to bring one of us along as an apprentice.”

She added: “He also kept himself busy with his watercolour paintings, and enjoyed helping us with our art homework.

“One great memory of mine was when I was playing Hwyel the Harper from Hendrig in a school play, and my dad created an amazing golden harp out of cardboard.

“The grandchildren loved going to visit as they knew where his secret stash of biscuits were and he always made a fuss of them and kept them supplied with snacks.”