Author Tim Harnden-Taylor has written a book about his days spent in the country with his Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen dog called Bing.

The 67-year-old, who grew up in St John’s Wood but has lived in Loughton since 1972, was inspired by his walks with his hound, who he says has a tremendous ability to make sense of scents and has a need for any number questions that arrive in his head, to be answered.

Tim began writing various blogs initially about his wanderings, which were called Blogs Of Bing and Lines From My Forehead, both of which looked at the world from the perspective of Bing.

Tim has had a varied career as an actor and singer over the years, travelling on tours, summer shows and pantomimes, as well as working in the West End with Danny La Rue, after training at the The Birmingham Theatre School.

He explains why writing is now a big part of his life…

Tim says: “Most of my writing has been purely for pleasure sadly. The stage offered a living as such, but when I married I really didn’t like spending so much time away from home and so eventually I decided I had to have a proper job.

“I was delighted to work for HMV in their original Oxford Street store near Bond Street, as since I was a boy I’ve loved classical music and avidly read magazines. Going to work there enabled me to spend time with people looking for both very old and new recordings. Computers were not really in operation then, so knowledge was everything.

“Naturally there will be more of Bing, as his many fans would never forgive me.”

The Meanderings Of Bing can be purchased on Amazon