Author Lynne Reid Banks dies aged 94

Novelist and trailblazing TV news reporter Lynne Reid Banks died peacefully with her family by her side

British author Lynne Reid Banks has died at the age of 94, her literary agent has announced.

As well as being known for her writing, she was one of the first two female news reporters on British TV, appearing on ITN, the parent company of ITV News.

The novelist, who penned books including the children’s story, The Indian In The Cupboard, died of cancer “peacefully with her family around her” on Thursday afternoon, her agent James Wills said.

Her son Gillon Stephenson said she “leaves a massive legacy of wonderful work” and added that everyday he “receives messages from people saying what a difference she has made”.

Ms Reid Banks was born in Barnes, West London, in 1929 and was evacuated with her mother and cousin, Christopher, in 1940 during World War Two to Saskatoon in the Canadian prairies for five years.

Upon her return to England, she attended Rada drama school before becoming a secretary and a freelance journalist.

Lynne Reid Bank interviewing actress Audrey Hepburn

In 1955, she became one of the first two female news reporters on British TV, appearing on ITN for six years where she interviewed stars including Charlie Chaplin, Audrey Hepburn, Rita Hayworth, Louis Armstrong and Agatha Christie, she said on her website.

She said during her down-time from journalism she wrote a novel titled The L-Shaped Room which was an unexpected hit and was later turned into a film, landing star Leslie Caron an Oscar nomination for best actress, as well as a Bafta and Golden Globe award.

Caron played a young unmarried French woman planning a pregnancy termination, but later rejected the idea and instead rented an odd room in a boarding house where she falls in love with an aspiring actor.

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In 1962, Reid Banks emigrated to Israel after meeting Liverpool-born sculptor Chaim Stephenson, who later became her husband and the pair shared three sons.

Returning to England in 1971, Reid Banks said she “stumbled upon the idea of bringing a toy plastic American Indian to life in a magic cupboard” for a children’s book.

The first book from her The Indian In The Cupboard series was released in 1980 and the fantasy story, about a boy whose toy has magically come to life, was turned into a film in 1995 starring actor and comedian, Steve Coogan and Richard Jenkins.

She also wrote many children’s stories during her career, including The Red Red Dragon, Tiger Tiger, Angela And Diabola and picture book, The Spice Rack.

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