Mourners attending the funeral of an actor who played Fagin at festivals for 40 years are being invited to wear Dickensian costume.

Colin Greenslade was a familiar figure at Rochester’s Summer Dickens Festival and Dickensian Christmas where he would dress as one of the author’s most colourful characters.

Mr Greenslade passed away on Thursday, May 23, at a care home in Chatham where he had been living for about four years after his his wife Doreen died. He was aged 88 and had dementia.

His funeral is on Monday, July 15, at 2pm at Vinters Park Crematorium, Maidstone.

His friend Sue Haydock, a former mayor of Medway who helped to organise the annual events, is asking to be sent pictures of Mr Greenslade dressed as the loveable rogue.

She said: “Colin was Fagin from the very outset of the Summer Dickens Festivals over 40 years ago, and only stopped when his health was failing in 2017/18

“All are welcome and if you come in costume that would be wonderful.

“If you have photos of Colin in costume you can forward them to me and I will pass them on.”

Email pictures to susanjhaydock@aol.com

Colin was one of the original band of enthusiasts to take part in the parades and entertain the crowds since the first festival started in 1978.

Fagin featured in the author’s famous novel Oliver Twist and was pictured with hundreds of young visitors to the town over the years.

And true to form, he showed his mischievous side by “pick-pocketing a pocket or two” along the High Street and having his picture taken with visitors outside the Guildhall.”

Following news of his death, there was a flurry of tributes online.

Martin Goodhew, who worked with Colin, said: “Sad news for those who remember Colin Greenslade being shared on social media.

“The perennial official Fagin of the Rochester Dickens Festivals for many years passed away on the afternoon of Thursday 23rd May.

“I had a great respect, and enjoyed working with him at the festivals over the years.”

Another former colleague John Wells said: “As an amateur local actor Colin was a mainstay of the Medway Little Theatre (MLT), in Rochester, for many years.

“Also Colin was well known over the years taking on the character of Fagin in Rochester’s annual Dickens Festival where he was a prominent in the festival parade.

“I’ve happy memories of playing a scene with Colin in MLT’s production of John Whiting’s, The Devils in 1967.”

The Fagin character Colin most frequently played was described by Dickens as a “receiver of stolen goods” and self-confessed miser.

The ragged villain led his band of kidnapped children to thieve passersby. In return, he would give the young rascals, led by the Artful Dodger, a roof over their heads and a meal on the table while he lived off their ill-gotten gains.

This year cash-strapped Medway Council scrapped the June Victorian extravaganza as part of its cost-cutting measures.