In pictures: Nottingham deserted on Christmas morning

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-38501053

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Inspired by pictures of deserted cities such as Pripyat, which was vacated in the fallout of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, a photographer has been trying to capture quiet streets closer to home - starting with Nottingham on Christmas morning.

"I was expecting it to be quiet, but not that quiet. Even the homeless people were still asleep," Dean Saunderson said of his expedition to capture a unique side of a city.

The 21-year-old photography student had been looking for inspiration for his project to make a portrait of his home town, Nottingham.

"I came across lots of images of abandoned towns and cities, completely untouched by humans for years, " he said.

"Knowing there isn't anywhere like that in the UK, I wondered if I could get close in some way."

Getting up before dawn on Christmas Day, he found a city given over to the birds and litter.

"It was a big shock. It felt so different, eerie. I kept checking over my shoulder.

"There was no one looking at you but it felt like there was no one looking out for you either - like anything could happen to you and no one would know.

"It reminded me of those pictures of the city near Chernobyl."

His ambition is now to visit a truly deserted place and put together a photo essay chronicling its story.