Comic book illustrator Bob Bond’s caricatures of famous footballers are being snapped up by fans from all over the world.

They’re proving so popular that Bob, 68, has come out of retirement to meet demand. Bob picked up his pen again following the death of Margaret, his wife of 43 years, at the start of the year.

He said: “I thought: ‘I am not just going to mope around and dwell on the past’ so I picked up my pen and got cracking. It filled a space in my life and has been good therapy. I now intend to carry on for as long as I can.

“I haven’t noticed any decline in my drawing ability. I have slowed down a bit but the lines still go where I want them to go, and I enjoy it.”

Preston North End fan Bob got his big break shortly before England’s 1966 World Cup win over Germany when he was asked to illustrate factual books on top footballers of the day such as Bobby Charlton and Bobby Moore.

He also drew Roy of the Rovers comic strips and progressed into doing caricatures of the stars, ranging from Pelé to David Beckham.

Bob, of Terringes Avenue, Worthing, has brought the collection up to date with drawings of Sir Alex Ferguson, Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard and Cristiano Ronaldo, to name but a few.

He has met dozens of football legends over the decades, including his hero, Tom Finney, as well as George Best and Geoff Hurst.

Many have signed their caricatures, which he now keeps in an album.

Bob is planning illustrations for the National Football Museum in Preston in celebration of the life and career of Finney, who won 76 caps for England.

His latest venture is two comic books charting the histories of Liverpool FC and Manchester United FC.

Bob, who will be signing copies at Methven’s bookshop in South Street, Worthing, on Saturday, December 6, from 11am, hopes to do similar books on Arsenal and Spurs next year.

He said: “I’ve had orders for my caricatures from all over the world.

They seem to be especially popular in Holland, Norway and Sweden.”