The Solihull connection to Stephanie Cole's remarkable TV career

Stephanie Cole's death has prompted a look back at the remarkable career of an actress who had a special connection to Solihull.

Cole was born in Solihull in 1941 and went on to become one of Britain's most recognisable television and stage performers, with a career spanning more than six decades.

Her career took her from the stage to some of the country's best-loved television programmes, with one of her breakthrough roles coming as Dr Beatrice Mason in the BBC wartime drama Tenko.

She was also widely remembered as Mrs Delphine Featherstone, nicknamed the "Black Widow", in Open All Hours, a role she later reprised in Still Open All Hours.

Cole went on to play Diana Trent in Waiting For God, winning the British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy Actress for the role.

A later generation of viewers knew her as Sylvia Goodwin in Coronation Street, where she played Roy Cropper's mother between 2011 and 2013. She won a British Soap Award for Best Comedy Performance for the role.

Her other television credits included Doc Martin, Gentleman Jack and The Cleaner, while her extensive theatre career included productions of King Lear, Noises Off and A Passionate Woman.

Her connection to Solihull remained a notable part of her story.

In 2006, Cole was voted Solihull's favourite Silhillian in a competition run by Solihull Council, beating a shortlist that included Richard Hammond, Martin Johnson and Lucy Davis.

She was also made an OBE in 2005 for her services to drama, the elderly and mental health charities.

Cole died on 18 September aged 84. Her agent said she had been living with Alzheimer's disease for several years, while her family described her as an "extraordinary talent" and asked for privacy.

Her death has also prompted tributes from Coronation Street, which described her contribution to the soap as an important part of the show's history.

For Solihull, however, her legacy stretches beyond any one television role. She was born in the town, built a career that made her a familiar face to generations of viewers, and was ultimately chosen by local people as their favourite Silhillian.