AS one of the UK’s leading cinematographers Paul Berriff has spent his career filming world events, producing ground- breaking documentaries and television series. He has also rubbed shoulders with the rich and famous. However back in 1963 he was taking some photographs of an up-and-coming pop group shortly before they became a worldwide sensation.

Thinking of becoming a reporter or photographer, at 15 he was working as a copy boy for the Yorkshire Evening Post in Leeds.

He said: “I was ambitious. To build up my contacts I got to know the managers of all the local cinemas. To test my skills as a photographer, I would ask groups if I could take some pictures of them.”

Mr Berriff remembers the first time he met the Beatles. It was back in June 1963 when they came to the Leeds Odeon as a support act to Roy Orbison.

He recalls: “I asked if I could take a few pictures of them. There were the usual flash bulbs going off but I wanted to do it differently. I wanted to take them in natural light and in slightly differently poses.

“They did everything I asked. I remember it was always Paul who gave the sensible answers. John always joked and Ringo would chip in as well. George really was the quiet one.”

Two months later Beatles were back at the Leeds Odeon and much to his surprise remembered him.

“Paul came up to me and asked how the photography was going. They weren’t much older than me so I think he liked me.

“As soon as they stepped out on stage it was like hell. There was screaming, with girls fainting and getting carried out. I was only 20 feet away and couldn’t hear a thing.

“Next time I met them was at Huddersfield. They were due to play in the evening and I had got there a bit early with a girlfriend. We were sat in the dark auditorium drinking a cup of tea when suddenly all the stage lit up and on walked the Beatles.

“It turned out they had just released I Wanna Hold Your Hand and wanted to get the harmonies right. This was its first live performance and we were the audience.

“That night I got some lovely shots of them singing on stage, this was before they started wearing the Beatle suits. They looked really relaxed and natural.”

Subsequently, Mr Berriff and the Beatles went their separate ways. The photographs were quietly filed away and with a career to pursue he became an official press photographer.

In 1967 he was a cameraman for BBC News but after a spell filming front-line documentaries he left the BBC. Setting up a production company he has created, produced, and directed more than 180 prime-time network television documentaries and won many awards.

He has survived a helicopter crash, leapt from a sinking ship, and fled an erupting volcano. On September 11, 2001 while filming with the New York Fire Department, the South Tower at the World Trade Center collapsed on top of him. After losing consciousness for 25 minutes, he crawled to safety, eventually recovering his smashed camera.

After moving house five times, Mr Berriff returned to Yorkshire, settling in Bedale. Although he still continues to produce documentary films, he has rediscovered photography.

He explained: “I remembered I’d taken a couple of shots of the Beatles. I thought there were only about three or four but I couldn’t find them.

“Anyway, after some time I decided to have a final try to find them and I came across the negatives. I could not believe what I found – there weren’t just three or four but 38. I realised these were part of history and I should do something with them.”

Before coming to Leyburn, the photographs have been on display in New York, Memphis, San Francisco and Dubai, where they have been used by Visit Britain to promote the UK.

Reflecting on the opportunity, Mr Berriff said: “It was an amazing experience, I realise now that a chance like that would never happen again. The PR people would soon get hold of them and they would never again be accessible.

“It’s quite funny. If I’d have given them to the picture editor in those days they’d throw them out. Now they are a piece of art.”

The Beatles images will be on display at the Wensleydale Galleries in Leyburn from Sunday until November 18.