Plaque honours Spike Milligan

Eric Sykes was Spike Milligan's lifelong friend and colleague

The late comic Spike Milligan has been remembered by the unveiling of a plaque outside his former home in west London.

His friend Eric Sykes, 80, hailed Milligan as a "masterclass comic" and said he was honoured to be asked to unveil the tribute.

Sykes and Milligan co-wrote 24 episodes of The Goon Show, the BBC radio comedy which ran during the 1950s and early 1960s.

Milligan died at home at the age of 83 from suspected liver failure after suffering ill-health for some time, during which he was nursed by his wife Shelagh.

He had been the last surviving member of the cult comedy quartet The Goons, which he formed alongside Michael Bentine, Harry Secombe and Peter Sellers.

His lifelong friend Eric Sykes said: "Spike and I were like brothers. Our suits even fitted each other.

"And if I told you how many marvellous memories of Spike I have, we would each need a chair because it would take so long.

"The plaque is a lovely tribute to one of the masterclass comics of his era."

The plaque, paid for by the Heritage Foundation, is placed above the front door of Milligan's former first floor flat in Bayswater.