LOOKING back at familiar views in our towns and villages never fails to fascinate.

Most urban views change dramatically over time, as redevelopment of some sort takes place. Yet others remain instantly recognisable, and some barely change at all.

Bingley resident Allen Ambridge pondered these changes in his own locality after coming across a book packed with old photographs of the town.

The small publication Bingley...In Times Past was produced as part of a school project for the former Rishworth Middle School in Crossflatts. Allen tracked down those behind the publication, and gained permission to reproduce the old photos alongside present day shots he took himself. Those who responded to his request included a descendant of the Luscombe family whose gift shop in Main Street, still operates to this day.

Another shop, the tailor and boys' outfitters Pratt's, on the corner of main Street and Queen Street, is now an insurance brokers.

Myrtle Cinema on Main Street is now a Weatherspoon's pub, the Myrtle Grove, having retained the name.

A retired RAF photographer, Allen captured modern-day photographs of the same scenes. "I like comparing the past with the present," he says. "Sometimes it is difficult to capture the exact angle of the old image and I really try hard to do that. I try to work out the distances as well as the angles. I am not a perfectionist but I am a bit of a purist."

He adds: "I found the book in a charity shop and was inspired to find the same views. It is good to see that some are still relatively unaltered.

"In modern day views, things like traffic can get in the way, and you can spend ages waiting for a gap in it before quickly taking your photograph."

Allen has lived in Bingley since 1988. "There have been plenty of changes since then. I think it is interesting to compare the present townscape with even a decade ago.

"I think it is good for youngsters to be able to see how things looked in the past compared with how they look now."

Allen is a familiar face at wartime reenactments, where he takes on the role of a wartime photographer.