ACTOR Gareth Hunt, who has died at the age of 65 from pancreatic cancer, had fought illness for several years.

Hunt, best known as star of TV's The New Avengers, made headlines back in 2002 when he collapsed on stage at the Pier Theatre in Bournemouth midway through a performance of the Alan Ayckbourn play Absurd Person Singular.

He was treated for several days in the Royal Bournemouth Hospital while EastEnders actor Leslie Grantham was called in to take over his role for the rest of the summer run on the pier At the time it was said that he had suffered an adverse reaction to medication prescribed following heart surgery.

Yesterday his agent revealed that he had died of pancreatic cancer.

He issued a statement that said: "He fought the disease with great courage and through his strength of character and his wonderful sense of humour he continued to work right up until the end of 2006."

Hunt was last seen in Bournemouth in 2004 when he returned to the Pier Theatre to star in the Francis Durbridge thriller The Gentle Hook.

At the time he said: " I had a bad experience here but I was determined to make the effort to return. It's like diving off the top board and doing a belly-flop. You have to go back and try again."