TRIBUTES will be paid at the funeral on Monday to a veteran firefighter who provided a unique service to the force.

Chris Nelson, who lived at Wingham, near Canterbury, combined his passion for the fire service with photography to produce award-winning images of fires across the county.

He died in Kent and Canterbury Hospital aged 60 after an eight-month battle with cancer.

But he will leave behind a legacy of his life’s work in a book recording fires throughout Kent over the last 50 years.

His widow, Jane, said: “Chris took his first photograph of a fire in Wingham when he was just 11. It was published in the Kentish Gazette. It really inspired him and he was passionate both about the fire service and photography.

“When he became ill he started to work on a book featuring his many pictures which I am going to finish editing and plan to publish.”

Mr Nelson’s career began as a social photographer with the firm Barry in Lower Bridge Street, Canterbury, in the 1960s. He then moved into press photography, first with the Kent News Agency and then the Kentish Observer.

However, his interest in the fire service prompted him to become first an auxiliary fireman, then a retained fireman at Wingham before joining the brigade as a full-time firefighter in 1969 at Canterbury.

His skill as a photographer was invaluable at the scene of fires all over the county for which he also filmed and won numerous awards. He was encouraged to develop his film work and became the brigade’s first technician in 1982.

Many of his video productions won awards, especially from Videofuego, an international festival of videos and films produced by fire services across the world.

In the 2004 competition, two of his films won prizes including the Golden Firefighter, Videofuego’s top award, for Making Kent Safer, a seven-minute video about KFRS’ services to the community.

After his official retirement he re-joined the force as its video studio manager before being struck down with ill health early this year. At the time of his death he had been associated with the service for 43 years.

Mr Nelson was the father of two sons, Magnus and Alistair.

His widow said: “Chris knew he was terminally ill but he was determined to survive to see the birth of his grandchildren which thankfully he did and that gave him great joy.”

Kent’s Chief Fire Officer Peter Coombs said: “Chris and I worked together for a long time and, for a while, we served at the same station. His knowledge and experience will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time.”

Monday's funeral service is at Barham Crematorium starts at 1pm. Mr Coombs will lead the tributes.