Maeve Binchy dies aged 72

The Irish writer died yesterday after a short illness.

Journalist-turned-author Binchy was described by the Irish Times, where she was women's editor, as 'one of the best-loved Irish writers of her generation.'

Her first novel, 1982's Light a Penny Candle, was a bestseller, and her sixteen books sold more than 40 million copies worldwide.

Jilly Cooper paid tribute to her on the Today programme this morning, describing her as a 'darling' and saying that Binchy was: 'so funny and so captivating - she was just a brilliant, brilliant writer.'