A RENOWNED photographer who moved to Skinningrove to record how villagers coped with flooding is to exhibit his work in the area.

Arthur Foster, who has had his work published in major magazines and newspapers, moved to the village for a month during the height of the floods two years ago.

Now his work is to be displayed at the nearby Margrove Heritage Centre, near Boosbeck.

Mr Foster said that the project was part of his Master of Arts degree at Sunderland University.

He said: "I'm trying to move away from magazine and newspaper photography and so took up my degree to examine contemporary photography.

"However, my news values came to the fore when the crisis was taking place at Skinningrove and I saw the chance to do something of value there.

"I'm very interested in the way human beings radically change their environment for their own ends as has been happening in Skinningrove.

"I also thought the power of nature and how it affects us was very interesting.

"For example, you would be hard-pressed to get your feet wet most of the time as you walked across the beck; then you hear stories like the man who opened his bedroom curtains only to see a tree being carried by the current and heading straight towards his house."

Mr Foster said he was so impressed with the level of public art in the North-East that he wants to live here permanently.

He will conduct a workshop for aspiring photographers at the Margrove Heritage Centre on Tuesday, May 27 between 11am and 2pm.

The exhibition is free and will open on Monday, May 12.