Stroke claims 'Archers' actor

Roger Hume, who played Bert Fry in the long-running radio show The Archers, has died following a stroke. He had been ill for some time. Mr Hume, 55, is survived by his wife, two sons and his father. Asked what would happen to his character, a BBC spokesman said: "The normal practice when this happens is for the actor's immediate family to be consulted about the future of the character."

Photograph: NEWSTEAM