For decades he has taken to the skies to capture breathtaking views of Norfolk, which many of us would otherwise never see.

Eastern Daily Press: Aerial view of Reedham Norwich covered in snow. Picture: Mike PageAerial view of Reedham Norwich covered in snow. Picture: Mike Page (Image: Copyright www.mike-page.co.uk)

Now, aerial photographer Mike Page is making his digital library of more than 200,000 images of Norfolk and Suffolk's villages, towns and landscapes available to local history groups for free.

Mr Page, 80, who lives in Strumpshaw and has been flying since the 1960s, said he had decided to open up his archive so the images can be used by groups for everything from planning to history projects.

He said: "I'm getting older and I don't take as many pictures as I used to.

"The older you get the more you find yourself looking back at history, I would just like people to be able to look at old photos of how places used to be.

Eastern Daily Press: Aerial photographer Mike Page who is opening up his arhive of digital images to local history groups. Picture: Mike PageAerial photographer Mike Page who is opening up his arhive of digital images to local history groups. Picture: Mike Page (Image: Archant)

"All aerial photos are records, you can see all the fields around the villages, you get so much stuff which aerial images might be useful for."

Mr Page said he would be making the images free to the majority of villages.

"I don't want anything for them, I just want them to be there and be used by future generations," he said.

"It's very useful for people to have that sort of stuff."

Eastern Daily Press: Rapeseed fields in South Norfolk. Date: May 2019. Picture: Mike PageRapeseed fields in South Norfolk. Date: May 2019. Picture: Mike Page (Image: Copypright Mike Page, All Rights ReservedBefore any use is made of this picture, including dispaly, publication, broadcast, syn)

Mr Page, who flies on average twice a week, estimated he had hundreds of thousands of photographs in his library, covering everywhere from Hemsby to Wymondham.

"For some villages there are maybe 10 pictures for others there could be 5,000.

"I love all of Norfolk, it's a privilege to be able to fly over it and see the changes that occur day to day," he said.

Mr Page added that if villages or towns didn't already have history groups he hoped they would set up one up.

Eastern Daily Press: High tide at Bacton. The sand has suffered some loss shown by the small cliff ridge on the beach. Picture: Mike PageHigh tide at Bacton. The sand has suffered some loss shown by the small cliff ridge on the beach. Picture: Mike Page (Image: Mike Page)

"I would like to get all the local history groups to [get in contact with me] and then I can download all the pictures for them, they've only got to ask," he said.

Mr Page's library can be viewed online at www.mike-page.co.uk, any villages wishing to ask for photographs should email enquiries@mike-page.co.uk

Eastern Daily Press: Stoke Holy Cross masts. Picture: Mike PageStoke Holy Cross masts. Picture: Mike Page (Image: www.mike-page.co.uk copyright image)