The former boyfriend and manager of comedian Frankie Howerd has died, his civil partner has said.

Dennis Heymer, Howerd's partner for 41 years, died at the home he once shared with the popular comic in Somerset.

Mr Heymer, 80, died "peacefully" in the arms of his partner, councillor Chris Byrne, at their home in Wavering Down House, near Axbridge, on Friday morning.

Frankie Howerd's former manager and boyfriend has died

Axbridge town councillor Mr Byrne, 42, told the Western Daily Press: "He died in my arms as I always said he would. I always assured him that he would never go into a nursing home.

"It was quite peaceful and I thanked him for everything he had done for me, and he thanked me for what I had done for him.

"Behind the scenes he was a great showbusiness man and together he and Frank toured the world and met prime ministers and other heads of state.

"He was president of the Frankie Howerd OBE Trust, and a number of other trusts have benefited from the guidance he has given them."

Mr Byrne has lived on the £800,000 estate full-time since Howerd's death in 1992, and he acted as carer for Mr Heymer.

It is understood Mr Heymer and Mr Byrne tied the knot in a civil partnership earlier this month.

A private funeral service will be held for Mr Heymer at the crematorium in Weston-super-Mare on Thursday.

As Mr Heymer and Howerd both believed they lived past lives in Ancient Egypt, his ashes will then be taken to a second service in the village church at Weare, Somerset, in a replica ancient Egyptian sarcophagus.

Mr Heymer was a waiter when he met Mr Howerd, in 1955, at a time when homosexuality was still illegal.