Chitty Chitty Bang Bang star Lionel Jeffries dies

VETERAN actor Lionel Jeffries, whose credits include well-loved films such as The Railway Children and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, died yesterday after a long illness. He was 83.

Tributes last night flooded in for the Rada-trained star, who was associated with a number of children's classics.

Jeffries was an instantly recognisable figure and became a familiar face in film and TV for decades. Among his many achievements, Jeffries not only directed but also scripted The Railway Children.

He clocked up roles in dozens of films when the British film industry was flourishing, with movies such as First Men In The Moon and Camelot and his performance as Grandpa Potts in the enduring children's film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

During the 1980s and 1990s, he made many TV appearances, with guest appearances in shows such as Minder and Inspector Morse. One of his longer fixtures was portraying Grandad in the children's TV series Woof! in 1993.

Film director Michael Winner, whose work with Jeffries included A Chorus Of Disapproval, paid tribute to his friend last night.

He said: "He's the most marvellous man, one of the greatest comic actors this country ever possessed. He had an extraordinary talent for eccentric comedy."

Liza Goddard, Jeffries' co-star on Woof!, said: "He was a great character, very funny, and I really enjoyed working with him."