A RETIRED solicitor who has spent much of his life abroad has returned to Worcester to concentrate on one of his favourite pastimes - poetry.

Jonathan Millican has published his first collection of poems after being inspired to write by a lifetime of travelling and working abroad.

The 24-poem collection, entitled A Reflection, is dedicated to his late wife Patricia and is "about the past and a little bit about the future."

Mr Millican, of Brentwood Road, Spetchley, has published the collection of old and new poems himself.

"I've been writing on and off for a long time," he said. "My wife and the magical times we had together inspired me to start writing.

"Some of the poems are from the 70s and some are from the 80s, but quite a few of them are very recent.

"I just collected all those that I liked most."

Mr Millican has had plenty of interesting experiences from which he draws inspiration. He started his working life with a firm of solicitors in London and later moved to the Bahamas, where he opened a law office.

After a seven-year spell in this exotic location, he briefly returned to London before heading to Hong Kong and working for the Government.

"Travelling inspired me a lot," he said. "I write when I get the urge. I really enjoy it - I like to convey a message and put down my thoughts about people, past experiences and situations."

The budding poet, who cites the late Poet Laureate John Betjeman as one of his main influences, says writing poetry has helped him a lot since his wife died three years ago.

"When Patricia died, I felt that I had to do something - I couldn't just do nothing," he said.

"But I then realised that I was already doing something. I've had more time to devote to my poetry since she died."

A Reflection is available from Ottakars bookshop in Malvern.