A former naval officer has turned his hand to painting after discovering a flair for art.

Robert ‘Bob’ Hawtin, who lives at The Heights care home in Downley, had never created a piece of artwork until his retirement, but found he had a natural talent for it.

Staff at the care home, in Langley Close, were so impressed with the 89-year-old’s paintings, drawings and sketches, that they put on an exhibition in his honour called ‘Moments on the Journeys.’

The display of over 50 pieces of work were shown to residents, family and friends this week.

Despite only pursuing his passion for art seriously after his retirement, Mr Hawtin believes that years of creating complex mechanical and technical drawings throughout his career helped him develop his skills.

At the age of 16, he passed the rigorous entrance exams to join the Navy as an artificer apprentice, before qualifying as a marine engineer.

He spent 12 years in the Navy, which saw him work in the Mediterranean rescuing vessels carrying Jewish refugees who had been liberated from concentration camps across Europe from perilous seas before taking them to the safety of Cyprus, as well as spending time in the USA.

Mr Hawtin went on to continue his career as a maintenance engineer and supervisor and worked at the Kodak factory in Harrow for 30 years before retiring.

After attending an evening drawing class in Marlow, he decided to form his own art group, The Downley Art Group, who display their work at competitions, exhibitions and county fairs.

Mr Hawtin, who describes himself as a ‘life-long doodler’, told how he would sit down anywhere and “regardless of what it was, I would sketch it.”

His artwork focuses mostly on boats and was known as Bob the Boat to his art group colleagues, but the keen birdwatcher is also passionate about drawing and painting animals, birds and nature.

As the week-long exhibition of his work draws to a close, some of the keen painter’s creations will be framed and displayed in the nursing home foyer for visitors to marvel at.