British author Malcolm Bradbury dies aged 68

Britain’s Times newspaper on Tuesday described the creative writing course he founded at the university in the south-eastern city of Norwich in 1970 as "a nursery for many of the great names of contemporary British writing".

Bradbury was Professor of American Studies at the university. He also worked prolifically as a television scriptwriter and literary critic.

His sixth and final novel "To The Hermitage" was published seven months ago.

He had suffered from a heart complaint since childhood and had been ill for some time.

Bradbury was a "marvellous teacher with an exceptional trackrecord", novelist Anita Brookner told the Times.

"It is extremely desolating news that he should have died when he was only 68 and always seemed so much younger," said Britain’s poet Laureate Andrew Motion.

"He was a man of immense charm, affability and kindness with no side to him."

Bradbury’s television output included adaptations of the works of Tom Sharpe, Alison Laurie and Kingsley Amis.

He leaves a wife, Elizabeth, and two adult sons.