SPIKE MILLIGAN - MILLIGAN'S GRAVESTONE PROVOKES LAUGHTER

Legendary comedian SPIKE MILLIGAN is still raising laughter from beyond the grave - by putting a witty epitaph on his gravestone.

The Irish born GOONS star - who died aged 83 in 2002 - asked for the inscription, "I told you I was ill", to be written on the tombstone in St Thomas's Church in Winchelsea, East Sussex.

It has taken two years for the headstone to be erected, after a row among Milligan's family members - who have finally agreed for the quip to be written in Gaelic.

BILL HORSMAN - chairman of the GOON SHOW PRESERVATION SOCIETY - says, "News of the headstone going up on Spike's grave is marvellous. We had been very concerned for some time about the situation.

"It was very sad that the grave was in such a state, but it was down to very sensitive family problems and we simply could not get involved.

"We're very pleased it's been resolved and with such a classic Spike line. We all fell about laughing when we heard it."