A BOX office smash hit on the war story of a horse has inspired a photographic trip down memory lane for a Northumberland man.

The Steven Spielberg blockbuster War Horse has prompted 91-year-old Joseph Shea, from Ponteland, to dig out photographs from his own war spent in the company of horses.

The film is the story of a horse named Joey and his journey through the First World War.

It has brought back poignant memories for Joseph, who lives at Dallas Road.

Born in Newcastle, he went to school in the city and worked at a garage from the age of 14.

In those pre-war days, horses were an important part of everyday life, with horse drawn carts used for deliveries by bakers, milkmen and breweries – who would use Shire horses, as well as by ‘midden men’ cleaning toilets.

Joseph became very fond of the animals.

“Everything when I was a boy, everything was horsedrawn,” he said.

“There were very few vehicles on the road so of course you developed this empathy with horses.

“You could not get away from horses. You just saw horses and you just loved them, I did.

“Everybody did, you had to.”