TRIBUTES have been paid to actress and Frinton Summer Theatre favourite Lynda Bellingham, who died this week, aged 66.

She died in the arms of husband Michael Pattemore on Sunday following a battle with colon cancer.

The actress was best known for her role in the 1980s Oxo TV adverts and country vet sitcom All Creatures Great and Small.

In recent years she was on the panel of ITV's Loose Women.

Lynda started her career at Frinton Summer Theatre when she was just 20.

Frinton actor Giles Watling, famous for playing Oswald in Carla Lane’s 1980s sitcom Bread, paid tribute to his former colleague.

He worked with the actress at the summer theatre, which was run by Mr Watling’s father Jack.

“In 1969, I came down to Frinton during a break from college to do my first professional job in a theatre,” he said.

“Lynda was a few years older than me – she was one of those glamorous actresses. She was just gorgeous and so warm.

“My lasting memory of Lynda is that she was a very warm person.”

Lynda wrote the foreword to the programme for this year’s Frinton Summer Theatre, which celebrated its 75th anniversary.

In it she wrote: “Frinton Summer Theatre holds a special place in my heart.

“It was my first break, my training ground, where I started my career as an actress fresh out of drama school.

“It gave me a chance to work alongside established actors, develop a toolkit of tricks, learn to work fast, improvise and stay on my toes.

“It was also one of the happiest times of my life.”