An artist whose paintings have graced galleries and homes across the world has died aged 74.

Derek Bradbury, who lived in Wilmslow all his life, showed he had a talent for painting and drawing from an early age and won many young artist competitions.

Derek, who died at Wythenshawe Hospital, trained at Stockport College of Art and the Regional College of Art in Manchester where he gained a diploma in art and design.

But before his career could take off he was called up for National Service and spent two years in the RAF as a senior aircraft man.

After that he enjoyed a spell in advertising and design and spent many years running a specialist fishing shop in Hale Barns.

Although he didn’t have much spare time for painting, he still used his talent to write and illustrate articles for fishing magazines and produced his own advertisements to promote his shop.

His proud sister, Joyce, said: “Derek enjoyed a national reputation in the fly fishing fraternity and people who saw his artistic advertisements and magazine features thought that his business was bigger than it was in reality.

“After illustrating a book on fly fishing Derek was contacted by an enthusiast in New Zealand who flew over especially to buy the original drawings from him.”

In 1990 Derek decided to sell his business which gave him more time to concentrate on his painting.

His home became a showcase for his artwork before his paintings captured the eye of art gallery owners in Cheshire and Manchester.

Derek’s other sister, Mavis, added: “The walls hung with paintings capturing his favourite places at particular times of the year.

“They included the Towers of San Gimignano shimmering in the heat of summer, the wonderful facade of St Mark’s, in Venice, through a veil of falling rain, the blue waters of Tresco Bay under a dazzling sky, and the leafy lanes of Cheshire in their golden autumn hues.

“During the first 18 months of his retirement Derek did very little painting.

“He was afraid of failure – but as the quality and popularity of his work has shown, and his ability to evoke time and place – his work has gone from strength to strength.”

Mavis added: “Derek will be sadly missed but his wonderful, vibrant paintings will be a lasting legacy in galleries and houses all over the country, and the world.”