HE IS Southampton's most famous comic son. Benny Hill died 12 years ago and yet his popularity seems to be greater than ever.

His shows featuring scantily clad beauties and characters such as Fred Scuttle are repeated in dozens of countries across the world.

Yet there is still no permanent memorial to the former Eastleigh milkman in the city of his birth.

Benny's 80th birthday would have taken place this month.

Now, devoted fan Shaun Connolly, 44, of Spring Road, Sholing, is hoping that council bosses will be moved to do something to honour the former "fastest milkman in the west."

Thousands attended Benny's funeral. Yet just one lone bunch of flowers marks the spot where Benny is buried along with his mother, Hilary, and father Alfred, at Holybrook Cemetery next to Southampton General Hospital.

Mr Connolly said: "I have been campaigning a long time for something to be done for Benny Hill. He would have been 80 this week and yet I have been the only one to put flowers on his grave yet again.

"Benny is known by millions around the world. I would like to see a building named after him or one of our parks named after him or one of his characters.

"He was born and brought up in Southampton. Eastleigh has done things for him, but Southampton has not.

"There is a memorial to Eric Morecambe in Morecambe. It is about time the city did something for Benny."

Southampton comedy writer Ian Abraham said that Benny should "definitely" be commemorated in some way.

He said: "I think, because of the comedy he was involved in and the climate of political correctness, a memorial would probably be met with a bit of opposition."

"Benny is still hugely popular, particularly in Australia, and I totally agree something should be done to mark his place in comedy in Southampton."

Southampton City Council's Cabinet member for tourism and leisure Councillor Peter Wakeford said the Liberal Democrat administration had not developed a view on the subject.

He said: "Speaking personally, at the moment financially, we are not in a position to fork out loads of money on statues but I am sure that if people wanted to raise funds we would look at the proposal."