FOND tributes have been paid to a former Echo chief photographer who disarmed everyone – from royalty to rampaging rockers – with his humble charm.

Dave “Cookie” Cook, of Thundersley, who went from taking reconnaissance photographs for the RAF to documenting Beatlemania and pier fires for the Basildon Recorder and Echo, died after battling a rare lung condition, aged 78.

The grandfather-of-two finished his career taking catalogue photographs for importer PMS International, in Basildon, only retiring last Christmas.

Daughter Natasha Higgins, 41, of Rayleigh, who was inspired by her father to become a national magazine editor, said: “He was the most selfless man you could ever meet.

“When I think what he did in his life – meeting Prime Ministers, royalty and the Beatles – he was so humble.

“He would do whatever it took to do his job well and would stop at nothing to get the right photograph.

“He was the world to us.”

Born in Southend, Mr Cook’s passion for photography began when he discovered a Kodak Box Brownie tucked away at the back of the understairs cupboard in his parents’ home.

Self-taught, the RAF recognised his skills and stationed him in Singapore aged 17, where he took some of the first top secret photographs of the Vulcan bomber.

When Basildon New Town was born and the Recorder newspaper launched the editor found out where Mr Cook lived and knocked on his door several times before persuading him to join the new team.

Cookie’s commitment, which saw him causing chaos on major roads on more than one occasion when the perfect photograph meant balancing on the top of his stepladder in the middle of the carriageway, meant he rose through the ranks to be the Echo’s chief photographer.

Echo sub-editor Chris Lee, 64, said: “I remember once we did a series of me being in various jobs. I joined the circus as a clown, was a car salesman, a dustman – and once a window cleaner.

“I remember one of the pictures we set up was me looking through a window, cleaning, with a girl, I think it was a local beauty queen, getting out of the bath.

“Dave was taking the pic over her shoulder of me through the window.

“He was the sort of bloke who could get people to do what he wanted.”

Mr Cook’s catchphrase: “Just one more folks,” helped him get the perfect shot and saved him from being thrown into the sea by mods and rockers on the rampage in Southend in the Eighties.

He was capturing Bank Holiday clashes when four youths grabbed him, one on each arm and leg, and began swinging him towards the sea.

The father-of-two said: “Just one more!” and one of the lads recognised his voice and shouted: “Stop, that’s Dave Cook!”

He was a former Basildon schoolboy who remembered Mr Cook taking his photo.

John Howard, of Eastwood, who worked with Cookie at the Recorder, Echo and PMS, said: “At the age of 17, on my second job, I arrived at the Basildon Recorder office and a man in a white coat offered to make me a cup of tea.

“That kindness extended for 50 years.”

Colin Eaton, 53, of Hockley, a designer at PMS, would give Mr Cook a lift home, but he would always insist on walking the final two-miles from Rayleigh Weir, for health. He said: “He was a fantastic guy. He had time for everyone and never had a bad word to say about anyone.”

Mr Cook, who died after battling lung condition pulmonary fibrosis on Friday, December 5, is survived by wife of 55 years Valerie, 75, daughters Natasha and Joanne, 45, an award-winning journalist and author.

His funeral will take place at Southend Crematorium at 12.40pm on Wednesday, December 17.