Paddington Bear creator dies at 91

They said: "It is with great sadness that we announce that Michael Bond, CBE, the creator of one of Britain's best-loved children's characters, Paddington, died at home yesterday aged 91 following a short illness."

Ann-Janine Murtagh, executive publisher of HarperCollins Children's Books, said: "I feel privileged to have been Michael Bond's publisher – he was a true gentleman, a bon viveur, the most entertaining company and the most enchanting of writers. He will be forever remembered for his creation of the iconic Paddington, with his duffle coat and wellington boots, which touched my own heart as a child and will live on in the hearts of future generations. My thoughts and love are with his wife, Sue and his children Karen and Anthony."

Bond's bear was a character loved across many generations all around the world.

The writer himself became a beloved giant of children's literature after his first book, A Bear Called Paddington, was published in 1958.

English author Bond wrote 150 books in total, with 25 additional stories about the marmalade-loving bear from Peru.

The author first came up with the idea for the small bear from Peru in 1956 while working as a BBC TV cameraman, an idea that led him to become known as one of the great children's writers of his time, his books having been on shelves ever since the first one was published.

The character also has a Yorkshire connection - the first cuddly toy version of the bear was manufactured in 1972 by Eddie and Shirley Clarkson, who were at the time living in Doncaster. Their son is former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson.

A stuffed Paddington was the first item passed across the Channel Tunnel by British workmen to their French counterparts when the two sides were linked in 1994.