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These incredible photos were gathering dust for more than 25 years, until one man decided it was time to share them with the world.

David Clancy captured the biggest stars of music and screen in a series of candid portraits, during his time as an assistant at a top London radio station between 1977 and 1983.

From Freddie Mercury to Anthony Hopkins, Blondie to Jack Nicholson, the amateur photographer worked with the biggest names on the planet.

But the pictures were never made public, and it was only when David was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in 2009 that he decided to share his work.

He began putting together a photography book to illustrate those glittering years, but died before he was able to finish.

Two years after his death in 2014, his daughter Leia decided it was time to see the project through.

With the help of friends, family and David's former colleagues, the photo book was finally published.

It will be released on September 25 under the title ‘You’ve Got Three Minutes’. All proceeds will go to blood cancer charity Bloodwise, in his honour.

Leia, 28, told the Standard his story.

“Dad spent six years at Capital Radio during the ‘golden age’ of audio broadcast, working as a press assistant but quietly proving his skills as a photographer,” the charity and arts researcher said.

“He left the small town confines of his Ascot childhood to live in a squat in Kentish Town, and started making a name for himself as a punk photographer.

“One day, he turned on the radio and heard Capital advertising for a press assistant. He applied and got the job.”

Over the next six years, David worked alongside the country’s top radio DJs, from Michael Aspel to Kenny Everett.

During that time, he rubbed shoulders with their high-profile guests, meeting the likes of Mohammed Ali and David Bowie, and even playing on the Capital football team alongside Sir Bobby Moore.

“Capital was the biggest radio around back then, it was a golden age in radio, everyone went in for an interview.” Leia said.

Asked which celebrities most impressed her father, she said Paul Simon and Kate Bush left him “totally star-struck”.

“He was in awe of Paul Simon because he was such a huge Simon and Garfunkel fan. But Paul Simon is tiny – Dad used to laugh about being so overwhelmed by someone who was about a foot shorter than him.

“And he would also say what an amazing, talented woman Kate Bush was. He was definitely in love with her,” she laughed.

When David left the station in 1983, he set his camera aside and began his career as a journalist.

After moving to Saudi Arabia, he met Leia’s mother. The two settled down, got married and had a family, and the “magic” of those years, faded into a happy memory.

But when David was diagnosed with advanced mantle cell lymphoma in 2009, he began ticking off items from his bucket list.

“He did a road-trip down the California coast, he got a season ticket to Spurs, and he began putting together this collection of photos.”

Five years after his diagnosis, David died very suddenly. To help them through their grief, Leia and her family decided to create a lasting tribute to him.

“We set up a memorial fund to raise money for blood cancer, but we also wanted to create something people could remember him by,” she said.

“We grouped together and contacted his old friends and colleagues and finally it was done.”

They titled the book You've Got Three Minutes because he usually had no more than three minutes to take his photos, "typically in the break of a show", his daughter said.

One of the people who most helped Leia with ‘You’ve got Three Minutes’ was veteran radio presenter Nicky Horne, who was one of Capital's first DJs.

He told the Standard that seeing the photos had reawakened countless treasured memories.

“It’s so wonderful to relive those days,” the 68-year-old said.

“And for me, the pictures are amazing not just because of the personalities and the quality of the images themselves, but because of everyone else they remind me of: the engineers, the amazing team we had - we really did all just have the most incredible time.”

Nicky said David was able to capture such strikingly natural, raw pictures, because he was “one of the most unobtrusive photographers I’ve ever worked with.”

“He was always there with his camera, but he never intruded. People just felt at ease with him, and you can see that.

“Really, he was just such a lovely guy. And I’m just so glad Leia’s made this book happen."

You've Got Three Minutes, is available to buy for £35 from September 25 on youvegotthreeminutes.com. All proceeds will go to Bloodwise