A WRITER of the popular Rupert Bear comic strip and annuals has died in Dorchester.

James Yorke Henderson, 80, of Somerleigh Road, passed away suddenly after suffering a heart attack at home.

For 10 years he brought pleasure to millions of readers by penning the adventures of Rupert, a children's character famous for wearing the trademark red jersey and yellow scarf and trousers, serialised in the Daily Express.

Mr Henderson increased the size of the Rupert annuals and also introduced new characters such as The Wizard of Um, Sir Humphrey Pumphrey, Rika and Terry the Pterodactyl.

At 18, Mr Henderson became a sub-lieutenant in the Fleet Air Arm, piloting Fairey Swordfish biplanes around the Mediterranean and North Sea in the Second World War.

There followed a long career in journalism that included stints on the Edinburgh Evening News and the East African Standard, and with Reuters news agency.

He became syndication editor for the Daily Express, where he was asked to take over the authorship of the Rupert Bear storylines before retiring in March 1990.

He moved to Dorchester in 2000, after spending 50 years in Essex.

He leaves Joan, his wife of 51 years, and four children - Kate, Simon, Andrew and Toby - as well as seven grandchildren.

Daughter Kate Cumber, 44, of Dorchester, is mother to Hugh, 16, Elspeth, 14, Naomi, 13 and Hatty, 11.

She said: "Dad was a news and features man.

"He wrote and edited the Rupert Bear series in the Daily Express newspaper for a decade and worked with lots of different artists, but we just saw him as our father. As far as I know, he never based any of the stories on me and my brothers - if he did, he kept it very quiet.

"I do remember it getting slightly fraught when it came to bringing out the annuals each year.

"He had to get to grips with writing the rhyming couplets, which could be quite tricky."

Widow Joan Henderson, 75, told the Dorset Echo: "James always liked the West Country and he especially loved the Dorset countryside, which he felt was beautiful."

Mr Henderson will be buried in Dorchester cemetery after a private family funeral.