Looking Back: Cousins Paul and Allen tussle with a bear!

1980 and the cousins in the garden with the teddy bear

Happy days in the garden of a city home are featured in this week’s Reunion picture from Chris Porsz.

In 1980 Chris snapped Cousins Paul Ireson age nine (left) and Allen Ireson age two (right) outside 8 Saxon Road where Allen grew up with the boys’ gran living next door.

Paul said: “We come from a big family. Allen’s mum, Auntie Janice, was the oldest daughter of nine."

Paul has worked for Tesco in Hampton for 20 years and also enjoys photography so he was very keen to be part of a unique photography project and book.

40 years later Paul and Allen recreate the 1980 photo

He has been married for 26 years and has a daughter.

He added: “My aunt lived in the house until 2019 so when we returned for the reunion photo in 2020 we had to knock on the door and get permission which was very strange.”

Allen lives in Wittering with his partner and has worked all over the country as a trained chef and now a car pound manager.

He added: “Our family all lived very close so used to come round to our house all the time.”

•Street photographer Chris Porsz’s unique reunion pictures – where he recreates pictures he took decades ago – has earned him international recognition.

Back in 2009 the Peterborough Telegraph gave Chris his weekly column 'Paramedic Paparazzo' from which his 'Reunions' project was born when readers saw their pictures from decades ago. His second book, Reunions II, is now available. Go to chrisporsz.com for purchase details.