THE work of a Kidderminster artist with a chequered professional career has gone on show - for the last time - at a Chaddesley Corbett pub.

Robin Watts, 76, of Westminster Road, worked as a gunner in the Royal Navy, a restorer of cars, a window cleaner, an advertising rep and a menswear salesman before turning professional artist in 1976. Robin Watts is pictured with an example of his work, which he is exhibiting for the last time.

Born in Chaddesley Corbett, he began drawing at the age of three and began doing watercolours out of doors at the age of seven, winning a scholarship to Stourbridge College of Art at 13.

"Art tends to be a compulsion; it's very much so with me," said the artist who has specialised in pictures of pubs and old buildings and whose first sale was a picture of the Old Peacock, in Horsefair, Kidderminster.

Mr Watts, though retired since 1994 due to ill-health, has kept his hand in, most recently working on a series of religious canvases. His current, "swan song" exhibition can be seen at The Swan until July 10.