An exhibition of historic photographs of Waltham Abbey - which is at the Epping Forest District Museum in Sun Street, Waltham Abbey, until January 26 - was officially opened by Epping Forest MP Eleanor Laing.

The photographs have been collected by Ray Sears who was born and has lived in Waltham Abbey all his life.

His collection of photographs came out of a desire to celebrate and share the photographic history of the town.

First exhibited at King Harold School in 1989, his collection is an ever expanding mixture of personal and donated photographs.

Mrs Laing said: “The events of today are tomorrow’s history and future historians will find the material that Ray Sears has collected and produced invaluable for their studying of the 20th century.”