TONY Hart will have a permanent memorial in Maidstone it has been revealed.

The much-loved artist who was born in the county town sadly died at the age of 83 on January 18. He will be remembered with a plaque and a piece of artwork at the Hazlitt Arts Centre in Earl Street.

Cllr Brian Moss, Cabinet member leisure and culture said: "A commemorative plaque will be a permanent reminder of a well-known local artist. We hope that one of his pictures can also be displayed.

"Tony Hart was born in Hastings Road in Maidstone and the arts centre is a fitting venue in which to commemorate him. Perhaps this is a tradition we could continue in other appropriate cases."

Nearly 6,000 people had joined a group entitled Maidstone would like a statue or memorial of Maidstonian Tony Hart on social networking site Facebook and their wish has now come true.

Mr Hart's TV career spanned 50 years. He is best remembered for his BBC work as a television artist in a variety of programmes, including Vision On, Smart Hart and Hart Beat.

In 1984 his BBC programme Take Hart, won a BAFTA and he received a Lifetime Achievement award in 1998.