ACTRESS and former Newport resident, Julia Breck, has died aged 78.

Julia was born in Newport on August 22, 1941, and became a student of Richmond School of Art at the age of 15.

After a stint working as an au pair in St Raphael, south-west France, she returned to the UK to work as an artist on magazines.

She later contracted the 'stage bug', touring with various repertory companies, before enjoying an uncredited part on Curry and Chips.

She went on to become a successful actor, best known for her frequent appearances in Spike Milligan's Q series, from 1975 to 1980, in which she generally appeared as a buxom 'glamour stooge'.

She also appeared in Monty Python's Flying Circus, On the Buses, The Two Ronnies, and Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em, as well as many theatre productions, playing everything from Principal Boy in pantomime, to Lady Macbeth.

She married Alexander (Sandy) Breck-Paterson in 1979 ­— a notable internet crossword compiler.

Following a final series with Milligan's There's a Lot of It About, in 1982, Mrs Breck decided to retire from showbusiness to concentrate on raising her three children, pursuing art and model-making as a hobby.

Mrs Breck died from cancer on January 28, 2020, in France, where she lived with her husband.

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