Actor Richard Attenborough died aged 90

Lord Attenborough was one of Britain's leading actors, before becoming a highly successful director. In a career that spanned six decades, he appeared in films including Brighton Rock, World War Two prisoner of war thriller The Great Escape and later in dinosaur blockbuster Jurassic Park. As a director he was perhaps best known for Gandhi, which won him two Oscars. 

Sir Ben Kingsley, who played the title role, said he would "miss him dearly".

"Richard Attenborough trusted me with the crucial and central task of bringing to life a dream it took him 20 years to bring to fruition.

"When he gave me the part of Gandhi it was with great grace and joy. He placed in me an absolute trust and in turn I placed an absolute trust in him and grew to love him."

Jurassic Park director Steven Spielberg said Lord Attenborough was passionate about everything in his life.

"He made a gift to the world with his emotional epic Gandhi and he was the perfect ringmaster to bring the dinosaurs back to life as John Hammond in Jurassic Park," he said.

"He was a dear friend and I am standing in an endless line of those who completely adored him."

Lord Attenborough had been in a nursing home with his wife for a number of years, BBC arts editor Will Gompertz said.

He had also been in a wheelchair since falling down stairs six years ago, our correspondent added.

His son told the BBC that Lord Attenborough died at lunchtime on Sunday.

His family is expected to make a full statement on Monday.

bbc