A WILDLIFE photographer from Kingswood has turned his back on exotic animals in favour of the British wildlife on his doorstep.

Iain Green, who has lived in the Gloucestershire village for six years, said he had been inspired by David Attenborough from a young age.

"I’ve had a passion for wildlife since I was tiny," he said. "Photography was perhaps a way in young adult life to channel that passion for wildlife."

Mr Green, 42, turned professional 15 years ago after struggling to find enough time for his hobby amongst his day job for an animal charity.

His career has seen him travel the world photographing animals and he spent ten years following Bengal tigers in India.

Now, however, you’re more likely to find him snapping away in Kingswood or London as he focuses on finding surprising wildlife in unusual locations.

"I’ve been photographing wildlife in Downing Street for eight years. There are the usual suspects, small birds and frogs, but there are also ducks and kestrels nesting in the garden," he explained.

Other unusual finds include urban foxes across the city and seals in Canary Wharf, while recent wildlife spotted around Kingswood and Wotton-under-Edge include water voles, dippers and kingfishers.

And he says he took his favourite photo from his own back garden.

He said: "My photograph of a sleeping kingfisher was the highlight of my career when taken two metres from my back door."

When he is not behind the lens, Mr Green is inspiring others to take up photography. He runs about 50 workshops a year and visits schools teaching children how to spot local wildlife.

He is also closely involved with the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, as part of the management team at their site in Nind and a judge for their recent photography competition.