I was born in East Grinstead in Sussex in April 1962, although the first place I remember living is Taunton in Somerset.

We lived in Taunton until I was eight when Mother moved to Corfe, a small village about 3 miles out of town. Being the youngest by some ten years it was only me and Mother at home by this time. My bedroom was on the top floor of a three storey house - great for testing Dinky Toys' Austin Paramoke - a model of a Mini Moke with a parachute attached. Sometimes it got wrapped round the phone lines, and sometimes the parachute came off as the shrouds were only held to the parachute itself by sticky labels!!

In 1978 Mum moved to Withypool on Exmoor. We had always gone to Exmoor for days out and picnics so this was a dream come true. It meant that I spent my last year at school as a boarder, as we were no longer close enough for me to continue attending daily. School was King's College, Taunton and prior to that the College Junior School at Pyrland Hall.

School Holidays on Exmoor meant walking and cycling. When I left school the walking continued, often with a camera as I was developing into a keen photographer and the moor provided plenty of subject matter. I spent many happy hours breathing damp bracken trying to get close enough to the deer to get a decent photo.