An Ely teacher and artist has retired from teaching in mainly Cambridgeshire schools after 52 years.

For 34 years Ted Coney was head of art at Hills Road Sixth Form College with more than 300 students in the department when he left. In 2003 Ted’s department received the Queen’s Anniversary Prize and he accompanied some of his students to receive the award at Buckingham Palace.

After a gap year (when he moved to Ely), Ted became head of art at St. Andrew’s College, Cambridge, with one student on the art foundation course – however this year there were 21.

Ted said: “It has been a privilege and great fun working with so many young people.

“But in my 75th year I thought it was time to step aside.”

Ted now wants to devote more time to his own painting, get his work in other exhibitions and develop his pop-up gallery further.

Ted Coney’s Family Portraits has been open to the public for the last 10 years on Ely’s Waterside.

Tours around his work can be booked via www.tedconeysfamilyportraits.co.uk or email tedconey@btinternet.com or call 01353 650038.