When Tony Tree retired from the Evening Argus, he had been chief photographer for 20 years.

An assistant to David Bailey and Helmut Newton in his early days as a photographer during the Sixties, Tree has experienced great diversity in his 35-year career.

His black-and-white pictures of The Charleston Festival record the colourful life behind the scenes at last year's five-day literature event.

Luminaries such as Harold Pinter, Susan Sontag and John Mortimer are captured informally during readings, having tea, chatting and relaxing.

Tree says: "It was such a joy to work one-on-one with these personalities. I had a rapport with the writers and followed them around during the festival. I work very discreetly so I was able to get telling images."

One picture of Harold Pinter shows him sitting on a bench in the garden, crossed legged with his hands resting on his knees in a pensive pose.

He is surrounded by the lush foliage of the garden at Charleston in this quiet, private moment. This is one of Tree's favourite photographs.

"It's good to show what goes on behind the scenes for the festival goers. It's a side people don't normally see."

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