Mike McCartney has paid a moving tribute to his friend, the Wirral-born Professionals star Lewis Collins, who has died aged 67.

Mr Collins, who played Bodie in the crime drama alongside co-star Martin Shaw, passed away in Los Angeles yesterday after a five-year battle with cancer.

His agent said: “He died peacefully at his LA home surrounded by his family. Privacy is asked for at this very sad time.”

Mike, a lifelong friend who is godfather to Mr Collins’ second son Elliot Lee, learned of his pal's death via text message while attending the Globe's community awards ceremony in New Brighton last night.

Clearly shaken, he nevertheless continued, presenting an award and making an emotional tribute.

Later, he told the Globe how he and Mr Collins came to be so close: "In the early-60s we worked together in a ladies' hairdressing salon over in Liverpool in Church Street. It was called Andre Bernards and was quite famous at the time.

"We had a similar sense of humour, which you could call mischievous.

"I was older than Lew, who was the youngster of the salon, so he always regarded me as a sort of big brother.

"Although we went our separate ways, both pursuing our careers in show business, we always kept in touch.

"Eventually he moved out to Los Angeles, but became disillusioned with showbiz and retired.

"But he was very happy in his new life. He said he was at last meeting 'real people' instead of the show business types we had both dealt with all our careers."

A founding member of The Scaffold, and now Wirral's official cultural ambassador, Mike disclosed that Mr Collins, an Old Boy of Birkenhead Institute, recently made one last visit to his hometown.

"He came over to see me at my home in Heswall about six months ago, travelling from the States with his three sons Oliver, Elliot, and Cameron.

"He knew it was near the end and he did not have very long left.

"So together we went on a magical mystery tour of Wirral and Liverpool.

"Lew was determined to make his lads aware of his roots.

"We visited the old salon, which is now a MacDonald's, and many other places we both used to know.

"We remembered those early days with fondness.

"I'm glad that I at least had the chance to say goodbye to him, although perhaps I didn't truly appreciate how little time there was left.

"It was a shock last night, to say the least.

"My family and I are really going to miss him."

Mike said it is his understanding that Mr Collins is to be buried in England.

The Professionals, which made stars of Mr Collins and Mr Shaw, was based around the adventures of a fictional crime fighting unit called CI5.

Its memorable theme tune and action-packed plots made it a huge hit on ITV in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Mr Collins's other most notable role came in 1982's Who Dares Wins, when he played a member of the SAS.

He was born in Birkenhead and worked as a drummer in local bands before getting into acting.

Mr Shaw said: "I was very sad to hear today that Lewis has died.

"We spent a very tough four years together in making The Professionals, and shared in the production of what has become an icon of British Television.

"He will be remembered as part of the childhood of so many people, and mourned by his fans. I send my love and condolences to his family, and the great many who will miss him."

Mr Collins is survived by his widow Michelle and three sons.