Artisan printer Russell Frost has set up the Hooksmith Press in Leytonstone

Russell Frost, a former fly-fisher from New Zealand, sells prints he makes at home with a 100-year-old printing press in Hooksmith Press, in Church Lane, Leytonstone.

The 41-year-old lives just a one minute walk away in Barclay Road with his wife and six-year-old daughter.

Mr Frost took over at the site, which used to be a greengrocers, just before Christmas.

He describes it as “probably the smallest shop in Leytonstone”.

One of Russell's prints.

He said: “I have always loved and collected old stuff and I think there is honesty to old print, I find it romantic to use old printing presses.

“I heard that Church Lane used to have newspaper printing so I guess I am bringing printing back to the street.

“Hand printing is a tradition that has been lost though English is full of phrases from the old printing press.

"For example, the phrase come a cropper is from a type of Victorian press called a Cropper, so the saying derives from the accidents that print workers had when catching their fingers between the plates of the presses."

One of the Leytonstone-themed prints.

Mr Frost moved to Leytonstone in 2012 after working as a fly-fisher in Nelson Lakes in New Zealand.

The prints, which range from £20 to £100, include local references to Leytonstone and the surrounding areas.

He said: “A lot of it is tongue in cheek and it is a way of expressing my love of my adopted home in Leytonstone and Epping Forest.

“Over Christmas the shop did really well but I think as the weather gets better I will be a bit more cheerful as I have to sit here in the bitter cold in my thermals and woolly hat.”

The shop is open at the weekends and Mr Frost is available for appointment on 07450292792