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STREET LIFE

Candid amateur photos taken on streets of Britain show the colourful and crazy side of life in Blighty

Chris Porsz, 65, has spent years snapping the British public since he developed a passion for photography in Peterborough

AN amateur photographer has published an incredible series of pictures captured over eight years snapping the colourful characters of the British public.

Paramedic Chris Porsz walked hundreds of miles around 25 cities since 2010 taking quirky pictures of everyday life, from pensioners and party-goers to buskers to bikers.

Paramedic Chris Porsz, 65, has spent years taking weird and wonderful snaps of the British public - like this hen do in Cambridge
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Paramedic Chris Porsz, 65, has spent years taking weird and wonderful snaps of the British public - like this hen do in CambridgeCredit: Chris Prosz

The 65-year-old from Peterborough has now published a book, Streets Of Britain, featuring more than 350 pictures from UK cities.

The photos offer a unique snapshot of life in Britain today, with pictures of people singing, screaming and scooting.

Chris said: "I have walked many miles over the years, unsure exactly what I am looking for but I just know when I see it and then 'snap!'.

"It's usually something surreal, bizarre, someone a bit eccentric who stands out from the madding crowd or everyday people caught up in some humorous interaction."

This bloke's horsing around leaves an older local unimpressed
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This bloke's horsing around leaves an older local unimpressedCredit: Chris Porsz/Bav Media
Chris has spent hundreds of hours walking the streets of British cities looking for interesting vignettes
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Chris has spent hundreds of hours walking the streets of British cities looking for interesting vignettes
He started taking pictures of residents in his home city of Peterborough before venturing further afield - to places like Glasgow, where this snap was taken
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He started taking pictures of residents in his home city of Peterborough before venturing further afield - to places like Glasgow, where this snap was taken
Metal-heads meeting for a moving moment in York
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Metal-heads meeting for a moving moment in York
Lads sharing a bike outside a pool hall in Leicester
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Lads sharing a bike outside a pool hall in Leicester
Seagulls snapped stealing chips on a sunny south coast day
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Seagulls snapped stealing chips on a sunny south coast dayCredit: Chris Porsz/Bav Media
Spooky characters haunting the historic Shambles in York city centre
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Spooky characters haunting the historic Shambles in York city centreCredit: Chris Porsz/Bav Media
Armed cops keeping watch at the seaside
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Armed cops keeping watch at the seasideCredit: Chris Porsz/Bav Media
End of the session for this fella in Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester
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End of the session for this fella in Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester
A proud Englishman walking home in Chris' home town of Peterborough, Cambrdigeshire
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A proud Englishman walking home in Chris' home town of Peterborough, CambrdigeshireCredit: Chris Porsz/Bav Media
Fancy dress for fast food on the Lancashire coast
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Fancy dress for fast food on the Lancashire coast
Skinhead and armoured police officers passing a pub
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Skinhead and armoured police officers passing a pub
Fish mongers passing a monster fish to each other at a market in Belfast
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Fish mongers passing a monster fish to each other at a market in Belfast
A woman walks past a building site on her way to the train station in Glasgow
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A woman walks past a building site on her way to the train station in Glasgow
The cover of photographer Chris' book, Streets of Britain
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The cover of photographer Chris' book, Streets of Britain

Chris caught the photography bug after buying a camera when his first child Simon was born in 1978.

He began walking the streets of his home town of Peterborough for inspiration and quickly developed a passion for street photography. He later decided to hone his craft by visiting other cities.

Chris said: "Some cities were full of characters, such as Brighton, and it was easy to get lots of good pictures, but others I had to keep returning to until I got what I needed. I've tried to capture a snapshot of a day in each of the cities."

He added that sometimes it would be frustrating if someone walked in front of the camera at the wrong time or he missed the moment, but other pictures would then make up for it.

Why did this chicken cross the road in Lincoln?
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Why did this chicken cross the road in Lincoln?Credit: Chris Porsz/Bav Media
Ladies legging it along Brighton pier
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Ladies legging it along Brighton pier
Scooting along the streets of Skegness
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Scooting along the streets of SkegnessCredit: Chris Porsz/Bav Media
A bold tourist making a breathless ascent up the steep hill in Lincoln called, er, Steep Hill
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A bold tourist making a breathless ascent up the steep hill in Lincoln called, er, Steep HillCredit: Chris Porsz/Bav Media
Flying high over the low and level sands of Blackpool
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Flying high over the low and level sands of Blackpool
Minnie Mouse meeting an ursine man in Manchester city centre
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Minnie Mouse meeting an ursine man in Manchester city centreCredit: Chris Porsz/Bav Media
Dog gives a bear hug to an unsuspecting passerby outside a boozer in Nottingham
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Dog gives a bear hug to an unsuspecting passerby outside a boozer in Nottingham
Flippin' amazing shot of this geezer snapped in Liverpool
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Flippin' amazing shot of this geezer snapped in Liverpool
Boys having a boxing bust-up in Belfast
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Boys having a boxing bust-up in Belfast
Peterborough musicians and cops marching across the street
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Peterborough musicians and cops marching across the street
Hungry hound looks wistfully at a sign showing sausage and mash
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Hungry hound looks wistfully at a sign showing sausage and mashCredit: Chris Porsz/Bav Media
Cash machine undergoing maintenance in Peterborough
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Cash machine undergoing maintenance in Peterborough
Liverpudlians posing with a statue of local legend Cilla Black
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Liverpudlians posing with a statue of local legend Cilla Black
Two Geordies size each other up on a fancy dress night out in the city centre
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Two Geordies size each other up on a fancy dress night out in the city centre
Bucket-headed Brummie outside a church in Birmingham
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Bucket-headed Brummie outside a church in BirminghamCredit: Chris Porsz/Bav Media

He added: "My near misses would fill another book, but any moments of dejection and self-doubt are soon forgotten when I see a man in Newcastle wearing a pink suit and a horse's head, or a pensioner walking around Nottingham with an owl on his arm, as you do.

"I cannot resist snapping the drunken hens and their inevitable 'here I am, tadar!' pose. Every town too has its fire and brimstone brigade so I just wait patiently for a 'sinner' to come along to make a lucky juxtaposition."

Chris said his work as a paramedic at Peterborough City Hospital helped with his street photography as he was able to "reassure complete strangers" and "react instinctively to the unexpected."

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Sometimes Chris would talk to the subjects of his photos and discover an even more exciting story - the front cover of his book is one of his favourites.

He explained: "The lady was about 90 and lived in Peterborough and was describing how as a young girl on Bonfire Night she set off a rocket and it went through the window of a policeman's house and burnt it down.

"Although it looks like she is giving the finger, she is actually putting her finger up to demonstrate the rocket going in the air."

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