ONE of the most recognisable voices in the history of British television who spent many years living on Mersea has died at the age of 89.

The death of actor Shane Rimmer, famously the voice of Scott Tracy in Thunderbirds, was announced on Friday afternoon.

Father-of-three Rimmer, who also starred in four James Bond films and a Star Wars movie, was born in Toronto, Canada, but moved to the UK in the 1950s.

He met his wife Sheila in Italy but the couple married near where she grew up in Tiptree and held their reception in Colchester.

Although at the end of his life the couple were living in London, they spent many happy years in West Mersea and Rimmer had returned to the island for the Rescue 1 fundraiser earlier this month.

Thunderbirds creator Gerry Anderson MBE said on Twitter: "The sad news that Shane Rimmer has died has come as a real shock to all of us at Anderson Entertainment and we send our thoughts and condolences to Shane's family and friends."