Climbing Frame

Tabitha checking the monkey run on her birthday climbing frame.

Doctor Who

I found time to see Dr Who Tonight, it was full of familiar faces including local actor Anthony Head as Mr Finch.
Anthony lives a couple of miles from our village; I bump into him or photograph him about half a dozen times a year
His evil headmaster character in School Reunion was very different from the Prime Minister in Little Britain.
But tonight's Photograph is a Dr Who Assistant from 1977 (Louise Jameson, Leela in the 1977 Dr Who series with Tom Baker)
I was lucky enough to photograph her in May 2004 when she was recording at BBC Audio books in Bath.

Tiny Topsy

Tiny Tim

Carriage Ride

Young Nicky and Helen take an evening carriage ride through Swanage.

Over the years I have photographed hundreds of motor accidents.
This is without a doubt the worst Mini crash, I don't remember the details but it must have fatal for somebody.

Air Ambulance

The local Air Ambulances use Lansdown cricket club as the landing pad for at the Royal United Hospital.
Sometimes when I'm photographing cricket, the blue light starts flashing and the players come off for about half an hour till the helicopter leaves.
Last year I had to go back three times, as every time I arrived and photographed a match the helicopter turned up again.
I shouldn't complain because it could be your loved one in need of urgent treatment.
It must have been busy on the roads today as the Somerset and Wiltshire Air ambulances were there at the same time.

Tabitha's Party

It was Tabitha's 3rd birthday party today.
Look HERE for another 56 party pictures.

The Grass is always greener

This goat managed to get its head stuck in the fence, in an attempt to get to better grass.
A member of staff had to come and release it.

David's new camera

The Norwood Pigs line up for David's new camera.

Piggy Love

"We Love You Mummy"

Norwood Farm again, Picture Sam Farr

Norwood Farm

We had a trip to Norwood Rare Breeds Farm today for Tabitha's third birthday.
Here's Wendy moving in to makes sure the sheep just eats the food not Tabitha.

High Wire Act

An engineer rests on the high tension lines before climbing the insulators nearly 300 feet above the river at the Taymar crossing in Devon.
He had just been out in the little cart to check the state of the lines and fittings.
Picture Sam Farr

Pigeon Catching

This young man was busy chasing the pigeons in the Kingston Parade today, something most young Bathonians have done.
When I was young the pigeon population was kept under control easily and cheaply.
A man came around in the early hours of the morning, with a powerful light mounted on an air rifle.
He would shoot the pigeons sleeping on the Pumproom and made a living selling the pigeons.
It was a quick cheap and humane way of controlling the large numbers of pigeons, then someone spotted him and complained and he was stopped.
They have tried trapping and feeding drugged pigeon food but nothing is as effective as the old way.
And now the problem is the noisy seagulls that plague the town.

Patricia Hewitt MP

Wendy always had an eye for talent, when she was doing her Certificate in Management Studies at the City of Bath College in 1993.
Her final project was to organise a conference to highlight the opportunities for women returning to work.
She invited the little-known deputy director of the Institute for Public Policy Research to speak.
I remember well that we went to the café in Kingsmead Square for tea while she waited for her train.
She was later made Secretary of State for Health the RT.Hon. Patricia Hewitt MP.

Combe Hay

We live in the little village of Combe Hay near Bath.
And I have just come back from my second hot-air balloon ride of the week.
So here's tonight's picture of the village taken at 7.20pm

Easter Egg Hunt

Tabithas Easter egg Hunt, was the first thing to organise today, here she is spotting a chocolate Easer Bunny.

But almost getting beaten to it by Storm.

But Tabitha beat her to it!

Topsy and Tim

About 25 years ago we bought our girls a pair of Terrier Jack Russell cross puppies they christened them Topsy and Tim.
They are sadly long gone, but Tim is remembered on my business card, and the picture always causes a smile.
Here are some out-takes from the original photo session.

Good Friends

I saw this little group about 30 years ago in Combe Hay Lane on the way to work.

Bath Stone Mines

My last nights picture of the worksite at Firs Field Combe Down in Bath, where preparations are being made to infill the 20 hectare site of old Bath stone mines.
The mines, which have had roof falls in the past will be stabilised mainly by infilling with a foam concrete mix plus aggregate limestone in water sensitive areas.
Archaeologically important areas will be filled with sand and bat habitats will be protected. The foam will be pumped in under pressure, filling the voids and bonding with the stone, and then set hard to provide a firm foundation and support.
When the infilling starts they will be pumping an average of 1,000m3 of concrete per day.
More mine pictures Here

Mini Rottweiler

This mini Rottweiler was guarding a van for his master today.
Can I apologise to all of you who came to this page in error (about 6 a day), When I joked over this picture of a small dog guarding his masters van, it didn’t dawn on me that there were really Mini Rottweilers.

Monkey Business

Nicky and Helen wait for the Tarzan film to start, with a friend.

Bath from a very tall ladder

In August 1983 I was walking up Stall Street and found Red Watch from Bath Fire Station practicing with a turntable ladder.
After a 30-second lesson firefighter Graham Davis took my old Sigma Fish-eye lens up to the top.
These are a couple of his pictures.

Local elections will be coming round soon, so here's a join up of the count in Bath Guildhall.

Tabitha checks her sun hat ready for summer.

Rare Terry Pratchett pictures

I notice the government are having a bird flu emergency exercise today.
When I worked for the old Central Electricity Generating Board they had regular exercises to test the systems.
This one was at Oldbury Power Station simulating an emergency at Berkeley Power Station.
The whole day was taken very seriously; senior staff and press officer were flown in by helicopter, as the roads would be blocked by traffic moving out of the area.
People were given questions to phone in on the emergency lines to keep the staff busy.
Wendy my wife had to phone in as the Princess Royal's lady-in-waiting asking if the horses at Gatcombe Park were safe!
They had regular press conferences with staff playing the part of the press asking yet more questions of the panel of police, station managers and scientists.
While the press officer stalked the stage making sure the senior police officer didn't do an Ian Blair.
The press officer was Terry Pratchett, who was already starting to be well-known as an author.
He had written Colour of Magic and it had been serialised in Woman's Hour.
These rare glimpses of Pterry at work have never been published.

More unusual pictures of Terry HERE

South Coast Skittles

Sometimes when you're a freelance you get offered an assignment that sounds boring.
But you have no other work booked and a wife two daughters, a vasectomy and two ponies to support so you take it anyway.
So off I went to Marchwood Power Station social club on the South coast to photograph a skittles match, to my surprise they played the game in a very different way to the way we play in Somerset.
Holding the ball in both hands they would fall forward, throwing the ball at the last moment.

Noel Edmunds

A young Noel Edmunds probably at the peak of his fame, the first time round.
He was hired by the Central Electricity Generating Board in 1985 to host the Electroquiz, a quiz for health & safety and electricity fanatics.

Proud Grandad

Sam and Lottie today
Picture Helen Mattock

Nikon in the hall of mirrors

The Farr family visit the hall of mirrors on the pier at Weston Super Mare.
Look at the camera the original Nikon F, no meter no auto focus.
And even after 25 years the lenses still fit the latest digital cameras.