Ron Hickman, inventor of the Black & Decker Workmate workbench, died last week aged 78.
South African-born Mr Hickman, who also worked as a designer on the Lotus Elan, invented the iconic DIY device in the early sixties, but struggled for the best part of a decade to get a manufacturer to take it on.

Having initially refused to take it on, Black & Decker finally realised its potential and put it into mass production in 1973. The company has since sold 60 million units worldwide.

Mr Hickman, who lived on the island of Jersey, died on February 17, five months after a fall which led to a decline in his health.

He is survived by his wife Helen and three children Karen, Jamie and Marcus.

Black & Decker initially declined to comment on his death, but a spokesperson later told DIY Week: “Ron Hickman’s contribution to our company and his support for many years afterwards will be missed, but his legacy will live on forever.”