Lynda Bellingham's widower has said the success of her memoir is "the best-ever memorial" to the actress, who died last month.

The star, who was best known for her role in the Oxo TV adverts, had colon cancer which later spread to her lungs and liver.

She was diagnosed last July but in late September disclosed that she had decided to end her treatment to limit the amount of suffering her family would witness.

She died in the arms of her husband, Michael Pattemore, at a London hospital.

Her book, called There's Something I've Been Dying To Tell You, discusses her illness in detail and has sold more than 150,000 copies and so far spent three weeks at the top of the best-seller lists.

Mr Pattemore said: "The response to the book has meant so much to us. Lynda would be over the moon - and especially at all the news we are getting about how what she has said has helped so many people. For the boys and me, that's the best-ever memorial we can have for her."

Presenter Gyles Brandreth, who was one of Bellingham's friends, said she was "brave, beautiful, brilliant, funny and fabulous".

He said: "Her story is inspiring, profoundly moving and absolutely Lynda. She would have been thrilled beyond words to find that her book had become a number one best-seller. That's the equivalent of a standing ovation."