Mollie Sugden dies at 86

The 'Are You Being Served?' actress has died in hospitalÂ…

09:17 02 July 2009

British actress Mollie Sugden has died at the age of 86.

The TV star best known for her part as Mrs Slocombe in 'Are You Being Served?' died in hospital after suffering from a long running illness.

He agent Joan Reddin said that her twin sons, Robin and Simon Moore, were at her bedside when she passed away.

One of the 'Are You Being Served?' writers, David Croft, described Sugden as a "marvellous character".

He said: "She would never refuse any sort of comedy situation. No matter how undignified it was, she would always go along with it. She was marvellously funny."

Sugden was married to fellow actor William Moore in 1958. He played Ronnie Corbett's father in the sitcom 'Sorry!'. He died in 2009

She also starred in comedy series 'Hugh and I', long-running soap 'Coronation Street' as Nellie Harvey and 'The Liver Birds'.

'Are You Being Served?' ran on the BBC from 1972 to 1985.