Tributes have poured in for Ronnie Barker, one of Britain's best loved television comics, following his death after a long period of heart trouble.

Mr Barker, who was 76, had a second home in Littlehampton and was greatly admired by those whose lives he touched when he came to Sussex for holidays.

Through his appearances with Ronnie Corbett in The Two Ronnies, he became known as one of the most versatile and successful comic actors of his generation.

He later made a name for himself as Fletcher in the prison series Porridge, and as the lugubrious, stuttering shopkeeper Arkwright in Open All Hours.

Brighton actress Judy Cornwell, 65, appeared in several radio and stage productions with him, including The Navy Lark and Alan Acykbourn's first West End play Mr Whatnot.

She said: "He was one of the greatest comedy minds going. He was a brilliant actor, a nice man and so generous with his advice, always willing to help young actors."

Mr Barker spent thousands modernising the four-storey seafront holiday home in South Terrace, Littlehampton, which he finally sold in 1978.

Monty Python actress Carol Cleveland, who lives in Brighton, last year attended a garden party at Mr Barker's home in the Cotswolds.

She said: "I worked with him on his TV series Hark At Barker in 1969 and shortly after that got parts in Monty Python."

"He was very professional - a charming, amusing and gracious lovely man."

Last of the Summer Wine actress Dora Bryan, who lives on Brighton seafront, said: "He was a great talent. Everyone in show business admired him."

A joke cracked on the comedy show The Two Ronnies inspired a big summer event in Littlehampton.

The gag went like this: "I've just come back from a holiday in LA.", "Los Angeles?", "No, Little 'Ampton."

Barker wrote the joke during a visit to his home in the town.

In 2001, his haunts were transformed into the Los Angeles of the Fifties as part of an arts festival devoted to Hollywood.

The LA Seaside Glam Street Festival took place in the summers of 2001 and 2002 and a giant pink poodle was the event trademark.

Event organiser Valerie Sturt described it as a celebration of the "glitzy, pink and fluffy Hollywood era of the Fifties" as well as the seaside holiday tradition which had its heyday during the same period.

The festival lapsed when Ms Sturt moved away. She has now returned and said she wouldn't rule out putt-ing on the event again, possibly as a tribute to Barker.

Mr Barker was born on September 25, 1929 in Bedford. He began his acting career with the Aylesbury Repertory Company in 1948.

By 1955, he was appearing in West End productions.

He first worked with Ronnie Corbett when they were fellow writers on The Frost Report in 1966. They teamed up for their first BBC series in 1971 and The Two Ronnies began a 16-year run that yielded 12 series and spawned classic material such as the fork 'andles sketch and their trademark news' items.

Mr Barker's successes earned him numerous accolades including three Bafta awards and an OBE in 1978.

He surprised many by retiring from show business at the age of 57 in 1987.

He was lured back in 1999 to appear in a Two Ronnies retrospective and another earlier this year.

He also appeared as Churchill's manservant Inches in the BBC drama The Gathering Storm.