Two ladies at the Rio Club - if you know their identity, please contact The Advertiser or David Bailey

Legendary photographer David Bailey is returning to his roots for a new exhibition in Newham featuring shots from the East End in the sixties, eighties and recent years.

Born and raised in East London, Bailey has documented the physical and social changes the area has gone through during the past 50 years, as well as shooting famous figures from the Beatles to Michael Caine.

As well as featuring some famous faces, most notably a number of intimate shots of the Kray twins, the exhibition also includes pictures of the characters who represent the bread and butter of East End life.

Bailey, who was born in Leytonstone, admits he is excited by the prospect of showing off the East End to a wider audience.

He said: “London’s East End is in my DNA and I’m thrilled to be able to return to my roots in Newham. Now the rest of the world will focus on an area I’ve been looking at all my life.”

The exhibition, held in Compressor House in Newham’s Royal Docks, focuses on East London through three different eras, ranging from the Krays’ hey-day in the 1960s to the preparations for this summer’s Olympic Games.

Hadrian Garrard. director of exhibition-organisers CREATE, paid tribute to the perspective Bailey’s familiarity with the environment of the subject affords him.

He said: “This is a very personal show, which explores the characters, cultures and physical landscapes which make the area so unique. This is a once in a lifetime show, at perhaps the most important time in the area’s history.”

The exhibition is running from now until Sunday, August 5 at Compressor House in Dockside Road. It opens from 11am-7pm from Tuesday to Sunday, with late night opening until 9.30pm on Thursday and Friday.