‘Postman Pat’ Creator John Cunliffe Dies

An actor dressed in the costume of animated children's television character Postman Pat leaves Buckingham Palace in London, 23 May 2006. Carl De Souza/AFP/Getty Images

John Cunliffe, the creator of the beloved Postman Pat children’s TV series, has died age 85, according to reports.

News of his death only became more widely known after an obituary was published in his local paper in Yorkshire, England.

Cunliffe’s agents later confirmed the news of his death, reported Sky News.

“John Left his Ilkley home in a deluge of rain on Thursday, September 20, never to return,” said the obituary in the Ilkley Gazette.

“Even the skies wept for John the gifted creator of ‘Postman Pat,’ ‘Rosie and Jim’ and author of many earlier published collections of poetry and picture story books for children.”

“John’s last poetry collection, significantly entitled ‘Dare You Go,’ has now come to fruition for John has dared to go and he has gone.” Cunliffe’s first children’s book was published in 1964.

But it wasn’t until 1981 that he created the Postman Pat series for which he is best known.

Set in a rural community with rolling hills and valleys, it was inspired by the small towns and villages where Cuncliffe lived in the Lake District.

In the 1990s, Cunliffe scripted another hit children’s TV series, “Rosie and Jim,” writing and presenting the first fifty episodes.

Cunliffe is the author of around 190 books for young children, including five volumes of poetry.