One of the creators of children’s TV favourite Bagpuss, Oliver Postgate, has died aged 83.

With Peter Firmin, who lives at Blean, he brought to life the saggy cloth cat which has been voted the most popular children’s televison programme ever.

With their company Smallfilms and working from a converted cow shed at Mr Firmin’s home, the pair were also behind The Clangers, Ivor the Engine and Noggin the Nog among others.

• So was Bagpuss your favourite - or were you more of an Ivor fan?Tell us by voting in our poll at the bottom of this article and send us your memories via the 'Make a comment' button below.

Mr Postgate, who lived at Broadstairs, wrote the scripts and provided voice-overs.

Only 13 episodes of Bagpuss were made in 1974, but were regularly repeated until 1987.

An exhibition of Oliver and Peter’s work is currently on display at the Sidney Cooper Gallery in Canterbury. It's a celebration of how classics like Ivor The Engine, Bagpuss and The Clangers were created and runs until Saturday.

~ Watch our video from the exhibition at kentishgazette.co.uk >>>

Earlier this year a deal was struck with a company to produce Bagpuss merchandising but Mr Firmin insisted there were no plans for new television programmes.

Speaking at the launch in October, Mr Firmin said of his work with Mr Postgate: “It was Oliver’s company that I worked with him on and we went right through from the sixties through to the eighties.

“We were working on a very small budget, but Oliver was able to adapt almost anything to take film, using a 16mm camera and we made pretty much everything from scratch.

“He would just tell me what he wanted and then we loosely sorted out the finances once we’d finished.”

Mr Firmin's daughter, Emily, admitted Mr Postgate was a huge influence on her childhood and a great character to have around while growing up.

"What they created together will last for a lifetime and has touched the lives of so many people both young and old," she said from her home in Whitstable.

"Oliver was just so distinctive will all the work they did together, you hear his voice and there’s just something that just takes you back to so many happy memories."

Peter Firmin is away on holiday and Emily spoke to him on the telephone on Sunday, shortly after he heard the news of Mr Postgate's death.

"He’s obviously very shocked about it - but Oliver had been quite ill for sometime and hadn’t been able to make many public appearences and promotions."

Mr Postgate used his website to put across political views and writings.

He and Mr Firmin were both awarded honorary degrees by Kent University – taking Bagpuss along to receive them.

• For more news from Canterbury, Whitstable, Herne Bay and Faversham visit kentishgazette.co.uk >>>