Voice artist Roy Skelton has passed away at the age of 79.

Skelton was perhaps best known for providing the voices of Zippy and George in classic children's television series Rainbow from 1973 to 1992.

He was also known for providing the memorable voice for Doctor Who villains the Daleks in episodes spanning from 1967 through to 1988.

He lent his vocal talents to a number of other monsters throughout the show's original run, including the Cybermen, and also appeared on screen in a number of minor roles.

Skelton began his voice acting career in 1955, playing various characters in children's show A Rubovian Legend. He continued to balance voice and live-action work throughout his career, appearing in such series as Z-Cars, Ivanhoe, Take a Chance and The Bill.

Skelton is believed to have died after suffering a stroke. His last acting credit was a reprisal of his Rainbow roles in a 2008 episode of BBC drama Ashes to Ashes.