MOURNERS packed in to a village church to say farewell to a former picture editor of the Worcester News, Ken Upton.

Mr Upton died at his home in Elmley Castle, near Pershore, earlier this month at the age of 67.

Yesterday, the village church of St Mary's was full as people gathered to celebrate his life.

Before the service, his wife Vivien said: "Ken lived for photography. It was far more than just a job.

"He was also a very sociable man who just adored his children, Matthew, Jonathan, Daniel and Kate and me."

Born in Coalville, Leicestershire, to a mining family. Mr Upton began his career as a dark room technician and trainee photographer, studying photography at day release classes.

His first newspaper was the Coalville Times at the age of 19 when he was told he would have to go when he was 21 as the paper could not afford to keep a senior photographer.

So at 21 he joined the Windsor Slough Express where he photographed every member of the Royal family and visiting film stars.

His next move took him to the Matlock Mercury, a small paper which he helped put on its feet before the urge to join a larger company led him to our sister paper the Evesham Journal in 1964. He became chief photographer two years later.

Mr Upton then became picture editor for the Berrows Group and Worcester News and was group picture editor when he left the company in 1991 to start his own business specialising in weddings, family events and PR work.

He also used his talents in voluntary work, particularly with Evesham Operatic and Dramatic Society, the Fine Arts Society and Elmley Castle Cricket Club.

Today's service reflected Mr Upton's great love of jazz, and also included the hymns Make Me a Channel of Your Peace and My Eyes Have Seen the Glory.

There were also tributes from his daughter Kate and former colleague Ian Cameron.