Ian Lavender who played Private Pike in the hit BBC sitcom Dad's Army has died at the age of 77.

The iconic actor from Birmingham was 22 when was cast for the role of Private Pike decades ago.

He would end up spending ten years in the role and would go on to become a household name across the UK.

He was involved in one of the most famous moments in TV sitcom history during one episode of Dad's Army, 'The Deadly Attachment', which aired on October 31, 1973.

The first episode of the sixth series, it features Captain Mainwaring being charged with looking after a U-boat crew that have been fished out of the sea.

The scene in which a German officer demands to know Private Pike's name, and Captain Mainwaring replies "Don't tell him, Pike!", has been judged as one of the top three greatest comedy moments of British television.

Dad's Army aired for nine seasons and first landed on BBC One in 1968 before coming to an end in 1977.

After his first appearance on Dad's Army alongside Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier and John Laurie, he would go on to star in a number of other works such as the Carry On film Carry On Behind which was released in 1975.

The star died on Friday and was the last surviving main cast member from the original series.