The one-time Mod was captured on camera by Swiss-born Eric Jaquier 41 years ago, proudly astride his Lambretta 150 scooter.

But Dennis, 57, never did know what happened to the photo until his eldest son Darren spotted reports of an exhibition of Jaquier's works in Leeds, and recognised his dad on his scooter in one of his iconic photos.

On Saturday, Dennis, of Billingbauk Drive turned up with members of his family to the exhibition, Strangely familiar at the Whitehall Waterfront Gallery, in Leeds.

As he stood alongside the picture of himself, he recalled: "I remember this man walking up and asking if he could take a photo of me on my scooter but always wondered what happened to the photo – until now.

"It was taken outside Len's bike shop in Kirkstall. We used to spend half our lives there. I was one of the mods, the scooter boys, in those days of Mods and Rockers."

Dennis, who has four sons, two stepsons and a stepdaughter from two marriages, added: "Those were the best days of my life. On a Friday we would set off to Bridlington or Scar-borough and sleep on the beaches or a haystack."

Karen Ali, 49, of Heights Drive, Armley, Leeds, a mother-of-four was also pictured at about the same time as she posed in the street with a group of friends, some of whom she is still in touch with.

She said: "We asked this man if he would take our picture – not something that would happen nowadays.
"I forgot all about it until a family friend recognised me in a picture in the YEP.

"The exhibition reminds you of those brilliant days, days when you were safe on the streets."
The series of black and white photographs were taken by Jaquier while he was spending a year in Leeds.

He became a door-to-door salesman and became fascinated by the images around him.
On Saturday, the radio journalist flew in to Leeds.

He said: "I was 23 at the time and my first wife was studying at Leeds University. I had just bought my first Nikkon F camera.
"I was fascinated by this area. I found it exotic because it was so different.

"Most of the photographs were taken in Burley and Armley. Much of the area was being demolished at the time and there was this sense of loneliness, like the area was lost in the world."

The exhibition runs until May 10.