Kent author Frederick Forsyth has died at the age of 86, after a brief illness.

The best-selling writer, who was born in Ashford, and is best known for penning The Day Of The Jackal, was surrounded by his family as he passed away at home.

The former RAF pilot and investigative journalist went on to write novels including The Fox, The Kill List, and The Afghan.

He previously worked at KentOnline’s sister title the Kentish Express as a cub reporter aged 17, and for his parents at a furriers shop in North Street.

In a statement, his agent Jonathan Lloyd from Curtis Brown said: “We mourn the passing of one of the world’s greatest thriller writers.

“Only a few weeks ago I sat with him as we watched a new and moving documentary of his life – In My Own Words, to be released later this year on BBC1 – and was reminded of an extraordinary life, well lived.

“After serving as one of the youngest ever RAF pilots, he turned to journalism, using his gift for languages in German, French and Russian to become a foreign correspondent in Biafra.

“Appalled at what he saw and using his experience during a stint as a secret service agent, he wrote his first and perhaps most famous novel, The Day Of The Jackal, and instantly became a global best-selling author.

“He went on to write more than 25 books (many of which were made into films) that have sold over 75 million copies.

“He will be greatly missed by his family, his friends, all of us at Curtis Brown and of course his millions of fans around the world – though his books will of course live on forever.”

Born in 1938, Forsyth – known to his friends as “Freddie” – credited his “small, agricultural” hometown of Ashford with sparking his curiosity about the wider world and his desire to travel.

His fluency in German and French earned him a scholarship at Tonbridge School, where he completed his A-levels before beginning his career in the Royal Air Force in 1956.

Two years later, he left to pursue a career in journalism.

He covered international stories and the attempted assassination of French general Charles de Gaulle, which provided inspiration for his best-selling novel, The Day Of The Jackal.

It was published in 1971 and turned into a film starring Edward Fox as the Jackal in 1973.

Last year, it was remade in a TV series on Sky Atlantic featuring Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch.