AFTER a lifetime of writing poetry, a Woodbridge man is now watching the fruits of his imagination fly off the shelves in a new book.Walter Kemsley, 88, of Valley Farm Road, Melton has been writing poems since he was a boy.

AFTER a lifetime of writing poetry, a Woodbridge man is now watching the fruits of his imagination fly off the shelves in a new book.

Walter Kemsley, 88, of Valley Farm Road, Melton has been writing poems since he was a boy.

He said: "My interest in poetry began when I was at school. I had a wonderful English master who really inspired me to take it further.

"But my work has not been written in a conscious effort to be a poet. Usually, a line jumps into my mind while I'm out walking the dog.

"Some poems have taken years to reach their present state, most of them are written 'in my head'."

It was not until his 88th birthday in May last year, when his wife and sister-in law surprised him with a book containing a selection of his poetry, that he thought about publishing them to a wider audience.

Now, the book, Painted Words, has hit the shelves of Browsers bookshop in Woodbridge.

Much of his inspiration comes from people around him and the book touches on subjects from war and conflict to birds, insects, plants and animals.

Mr Kemsley is a former journalist who worked as a sub-editor for the Eastern Daily Press.

He said: "It was a lovely surprise when I got the book for my birthday and, following a few revisions, we've now been able to get a few copies out for sale.

"I've had some really good reviews from people and it seems to be selling quite well."

A keen artist in his spare time, he eventually decided to quit the world of journalism to pursue a career in art and taught at schools across the country before moving to Woodbridge in 1987.

He exhibited his work at the Royal Academy at the age of 80 – and examples of his sketches can be seen in his book.