A plaque will be unveiled in honour of Maidstone-born artist, Tony Hart, as part of the first birthday celebrations for the Hazlitt Arts Centre.

Maidstone council’s cabinet member for leisure and culture, Cllr Brian Moss (Con) , said: “I will be delighted to be able to unveil this lasting tribute to a man who has captured the hearts of so many people.

“The plaque will be a permanent reminder of a well-known local artist. Tony Hart was born in Hastings Road and the arts centre is a fitting venue in which to commemorate him and ties in well with it celebrating its first year as an arts centre.”

Tony Hart’s television career spanned 50 years and included such programmes as Vision On, Take Heart, Smart Hart and Hart Beat. In 1984 his BBC programme 'Take Hart’, won a BAFTA and he received a Lifetime Achievement award in 1998.

His daughter Carolyn Williams is expected to attend the unveiling on Saturday, May 30.