Royal Family photos found in 'emotional' collection

The Queen and Prince Philip were pictured at Sandringham one Christmas

Hundreds of "emotional" photographs capturing the lives of the Royal Family have been found by relatives of an amateur photographer after his death.

Edward Jackson, 72, of King's Lynn in Norfolk, made a hobby of snapping the royals when they visited Sandringham.

Stephen Jackson said he hoped some of his uncle's best photos could help mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee later this year.

"It's been really rewarding," added Mr Jackson, who is sorting through them.

The images were discovered when Mr Jackson and his wife, Jo, came across a makeshift dark room while looking through the house.

Although they knew he had been a keen photographer, the number of pictures of the Royal Family has astounded the couple.

'Real eye opener'

Among many thousands of images of holidays, family gatherings and landscapes were shots of the royals walking to church at Christmas and meeting crowds at the annual Sandringham Flower Show.

Diana, Princess of Wales, is captured en route to church at Sandringham in the 1980s

The retired newsagent, who died in November, had worked in London for a period in the late 1970s where he documented the Queen's Silver Jubilee celebrations.

Mr Jackson said: "I was very aware there was going to be a huge amount as I'd only ever known him with a camera round his neck but I didn't realise just how many he had built up over the years.

"We've been going through hundreds of family ones in the past few weeks and it's been quite emotional and overwhelming.

"It's a timeline of his life, you can feel him walking around and taking pictures all day. It's been a real eye opener."

The royals, including a young Prince William, are pictured outside the church at Sandringham in the 1980s

The Queen Mother was photographed in 1989

Edward Jackson, pictured in his 20s, was never without a camera, his nephew Stephen said

He said he planned to submit some of his uncle's best photos to Kensington Palace following an appeal for pictures to mark the Queen's 70 years on the throne.

"I am sure if he was here he would doing the same thing," Mr Jackson continued.

His wife, Jo, added: "It wasn't Christmas for him without a trip to Sandringham.

"He gave his car to Stephen when he passed his driving test at 17, and he's now 46. Edward hadn't had a car since, but he would cycle to Sandringham.

"I really feel his pictures need to be seen."

The Jacksons said they hoped Edward's photos, which captured "so much social history", could eventually find a home in an archive.

Edward was best man at his nephew Stephen's wedding in 1998