Playwright, political activist and mischief-maker Brian Behan has died one week before his 76th birthday.

Known for his irrepressible and irreverent spirit, the eccentric Irishman died in hospital on Saturday morning after suffering a heart attack ten days ago.

Mr Behan, of Newark Place, Brighton, enjoyed local infamy after waging war over Brighton and Hove City Council's bid to close public toilets.

Running as the loo candidate in the 2001 mayor elections, his manifesto was to make Brighton the Place to Wee and he threatened a wee-in at the Town Hall if all the loos were not re-opened.

Once a key figure in the Communist party, Mr Behan, who met Chairman Mao and Stalin on his travels, made his name as a playwright.

Of strong literary stock, his brother was the late Irish writer Brendan Behan, and his uncle wrote the Irish Republic's national anthem.

Born in Dublin in 1927, Mr Behan moved to London aged 23 where he worked on building sites.

After studying English Literature at the University of Sussex in the late Sixties he became director of the media department at the London College of Printing for 15 years.

He lived on a houseboat in Portslade with his first wife Celia, before moving to Whitechapel, London. In 1989 he moved to Newark Place, Brighton, with his second wife Sally, where he did most of his writing.

Mr Behan continued writing and battling for political causes until his death. He formed the Grey Power Party to fight for pensioners' rights and the Anti-Marriage Society, of which he was secretary.

Mr Behan is survived by his partner Jean Virgo, who he met after his second wife's death in 2000, his first wife Celia, four daughters and one son.

His daughter Rosemary Behan said: "He was an amazing inspiration. He will be greatly missed."