After 16 years as company photographer at Axminster Tools and Machinery, Richard Heddington has decided to hang up his camera.

He’s carving out a new career as an author and illustrator.

Having relocated to Plympton with his partner Rachel earlier this year, to be closer to family and grandchildren, Richard felt the time was right to change direction.

One of his many talents is creative writing and he has self-published a series of children’s books which can be equally enjoyed by adults. The principal character in Richard’s stories is ‘Henry the Hedgegnome’ – a character he created many years ago while he was still at school, but who remained in hibernation while he worked as a photographer. Richard will now be developing Henry’s adventures and making every effort to become as popular and well known a children’s author-illustrator as Raymond Briggs or Nick Butterworth.

In a recent interview, the aspiring author said: “After 16 years creating photos and videos for Axminster Tools and Machinery, the time has come to do a spot of drawing and colouring in.

“Some may view giving up a good job to write children’s books as some sort of mid-life crisis. Having first drawn Henry the Hedgegnome when I was a child, I prefer to view it as finally fulfilling my destiny.”

Before he left, Axminster Tools and Machinery presented Richard with several gifts and wished him well on his new journey.