A respected photographer who was responsible for taking pictures of the stars who appeared at Borehamwood's ATV Studios has died at the age of 68.

Ronald Coburn, of Morpeth Avenue, was a senior stills photographer for ATV, and worked for the company for 28 years, between 1955 and 1983.

During his time at the studios, in Clarendon Road, he photographed celebrities such as Laurence Olivier, Tom Jones, The Muppets and Joan Plowright.

The actress Barbara Kelly once described Mr Coburn as a "photographer extraordinaire", and Des O'Connor used to ask for him whenever he was at ATV.

Mr Coburn, who was born in Hoxton, worked as a photographer's assistant in the Royal Air Force when he carried out his national service.

He then became a news photographer, and went on to join ATV, which opened its studio in Borehamwood in 1960. Mr Coburn, who died after a battle with cancer on Friday, leaves a wife, Maureen, three children, Suzanne, John and Steven, and seven grandchildren.

The funeral will be held at Hendon Crematorium tomorrow, at 11.15am, followed by a reception at Elstree's Edgwarebury Hotel at 12.30pm.

November 7, 2001 13:50