Colin Welland, the actor and writer who won an Oscar for his work on 'Chariots of Fire', has died at the age of 81.

Welland appeared in the TV show 'Z Cars' and Ken Loach's 'Kes' before picking up a Best Original Screenplay Academy Award for the historical drama about rival athletes in 1981.

His acceptance speech, in which he announced "The British are coming!", is one of the most-quoted in Oscars history.

He took the Oscar for Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen) at the 54th Academy Awards.

The father-of-four's family announced that he died peacefully in his sleep after suffering from Alzheimer's disease for several years.

In a statement released via his literary agent Anthony Jones, they said: "Colin will be desperately missed by his family and friends".

"Alzheimer's is a cruel illness and there have been difficult times but in the end Colin died peacefully in his sleep"

"We are proud of Colin's many achievements during his life but most of all he will be missed as a loving and generous friend, husband, father and granddad".

See his acceptance speech from 1982 below: