For Ian’s a jolly good fellow!

There are fewer than 700 Fellows across the world and Ian, who is now assistant editor, joins the elite band in recognition of his services to press photography.

During his time at Yorkshire Post Newspapers and two spells at the Press Association he has co-ordinated photographic teams covering everything from the 2006 football World Cup in Germany to the 2000 Sydney Olympics and more recently the Tour de France in Yorkshire.

Ian said: “It is wonderful to be recognised by the RPS, but this is really about the incredibly talented photographers I’ve had the privilege to work with over the years.

“As a picture editor you do everything you can to give them the best chance of getting a great shot, but in the end it’s down to them. One of my favourite images is by Bruce Rollinson. The RAF called The Yorkshire Post to ask how they could get a front page picture. I told them, ‘Get the Red Arrows to fly over York Minster’. I heard nothing for months and then I got the call. Bruce had just a split second to get that image and needless to say it did make the front page.”

Ian, who grew up in Shropshire, was just a teenager when he began his career in press photography and says he has his father to thank.

“Dad worked for a firm which printed the Whitchurch Herald. I was fascinated by how an image on a screen got onto the paper and when I was 14 he bought me a camera from a retiring press photographer. The only problem was I didn’t have anywhere to develop my photographs. Dad stepped in again, building me a dark room under the stairs.”

An RPS Fellowship is one of the highest photographic honours and the society’s director-general Dr Michael Pritchard said: “Ian’s achievement is a remarkable one and both he and Yorkshire Post Newspapers should be proud.”

Ian added: “Dad died a couple of months ago. He wasn’t the type to go in for awards, but if he knew I had been made a Fellow then I am sure he would have allowed himself a wry smile.”