Junk shop photos of Skegness on show in Denmark

The photos, taken by Alec Manning, offer a glimpse of life in Skegness during the 1950s

Photographs found in a junk shop showing life in Skegness in the 1950s are being displayed in Denmark as part of a major arts festival.

The old pictures were discovered by artist John Byford and are being displayed alongside more recent shots he has taken of life in the town.

His exhibition in the coastal city of Helsingør is aimed at promoting links between the two places.

Mr Byford said: "I'm here flying the flag for Skegness."

The collection was discovered in a junk shop in the town

The old pictures were salvaged by Mr Byford, who spotted a black and white picture of a lady in a junk shop window in Drummond Road, Skegness, in 1999.

That, along with several hundred negatives, photos, and photographic equipment were being sold after the death of a man called Alec Manning.

My Byford bought them and later found out Mr Manning was a local photographer who "had a passion, like myself, for photographing people".

Since then he has been cataloguing a collection of more than 1,000 negatives and showcasing them in exhibitions.

Local photographer John Byford has produced his own contemporary images of life in the resort

The artist said: "Mr Manning's pictures are a wonderful illustration of life in Skegness through his eyes in the 1950s.

"I'm sure he would be very proud to know that so many people are getting to view them."

He said the common theme was people...

...and dogs

He said by contrasting them with his own images, people could get a glimpse of a bygone era and the resort in modern times.

"Art is such a brilliant way of communicating and getting people talking," he added.

"Most people in Helsingør won't have heard of Skegness and if we can promote our lovely town and get more people over then that's great."

The pictures are on show as part of the Passage Festival, which runs until 4 August.