TRIBUTES have been paid to a shop owner who became a friend of royalty, peers, cabinet ministers and millionaires after he took their photographs.

John Winter, who has died aged 84, was on first-name terms with many rich and famous people who visited the grouse moors around his home in Middleton-in-Teesdale, near Barnard Castle.

Prince Charles, Camilla Parker-Bowles, the Queen Mother and King Carlos of Spain were among those whose pictures he took, processed and handed over the same day.

He was called in every shooting season by the late seed tycoon Sir Joseph Nickerson to photograph groups of all his guests each morning, and after they saw the results, they often called at his shop.

The Earl of Strathmore, a cousin of the Queen, who has a mansion at Holwick, in Teesdale, said yesterday: "John was a very good friend of mine, and I know he was on close terms with many well-known people. He was a really nice man and excellent photographer. I will miss him."

Mr Winter, who addressed the earl by his personal name of Mikey, often opened his shop in the centre of Middleton-in-Teesdale in the evening so Sir Joseph's guests could buy boots, wellingtons, waterproof jackets, walking sticks and other items for use on the moors.

John Wearmouth, who was in the Teesdale Photographic Society, of which Mr Winter was chairman and then president, said: "When King Carlos was in the shop one evening, there were two armed guards keeping watch outside.

"John enjoyed meeting titled and famous people and, over the years, he got to know many of them really well. He looked on them as friends. They all seemed to enjoy going to his shop when he opened it specially for them in the evenings."

Mr Winter was always discreet about the visitors he photographed.

He once said he could have made a lot of money at times by telling newspapers about who was present, but he never divulged confidential information.

He also took family groups, portraits and passport pictures as a sideline to his shop, which he ran for many years with his wife, Vera, who died some years ago.

After he retired, he lived in Arkengarthdale, North Yorkshire.

He leaves a son, daughter and two grandsons. His funeral will be held in Middleton-in-Teesdale Parish Church at 2pm on Saturday.