Cleo Sylvestre: Trailblazing actress dies aged 79

Born in April 1945, Sylvestre grew up and was educated in Camden, north London.

She pursued a career in acting and made her West End debut at Wyndham’s Theatre in 1967’s Wise Child, written by Simon Gray.

The actress went on to become the first black woman to have leading role in a National Theatre production when she appeared in Peter Nichols’ satire The National Health in 1969.

Her screen credits included appearances in TV series Till Death Do Us Part, Doctors, Coronation Street, The Bill, New Tricks and Doctor Who, as well as a regular role in school drama Grange Hill.

She worked regularly with Ken Loach, on his first film Poor Cow and later on Cathy Come Home and Up the Junction.

After appearing in Some Women, a dramatisation of real-life stories from imprisoned women shown on BBC Two, she was spotted by TV producer Reg Watson, who cast her on ITV’s Crossroads.

She played Meg Richardson’s adopted daughter Melanie in the soap opera from 1970 to 1972.

Crossroads had about 15 million viewers at the time, and brought Sylvestre to a national audience.