On The Buses actor Reg Varney died yesterday, his daughter said.

The actor died following a short illness in a nursing home in Budleigh Salterton, Devon, at the age of 92.

His daughter, Jeanne Marley, 59, said he died "peacefully" just before 2pm.

Varney, who played main character Stan Butler in the 1970s sitcom, was born in London's East End but had lived in Devon for the past 20 years.

Upon leaving school he took various menial jobs before becoming an actor after showing a flair for performance in working men's clubs.

During the Second World War he joined the Royal Electrical Engineers, but also carried on working as a music-hall entertainer .

He had a number of TV-show roles before achieving fame in On The Buses, which began in 1969 and ran for seven series.

Afterwards, Varney took on a number of film roles, but he continued to be most recognised for his part in On The Buses. In later years he toured abroad with a cabaret show.

Mrs Marley said he had only recently been admitted to the nursing home after he had begun suffering from a chest infection.

She said: "He's always been very young for his age, when he was in On The Buses he was playing a 35-year-old, but he was actually 50."

Varney, who had lived alone since his wife Lilian died in 2002, is survived by his daughter, two grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

His funeral has yet to be arranged.