HE was well known among the acting community for his refusal to go on stage without his lucky Doc Martens.

Now a fitting memorial to panto legend Gerard Kelly, who died in 2010, has been unveiled at one of his old haunts, the King's Theatre in Glasgow.

The pair of bronze cast DMs have been placed on a marble plinth and will remain permanently in sight of theatre-goers.

It was unveiled yesterday on what would have been Kelly's 54th birthday by fellow actors Tony Roper, Andy Gray and Elaine C Smith. The bronze was produced from a cast of Kelly's own boots and the tribute is intended to be similar to Billy Connolly's Big Banana Boots at the People's Palace.

It was paid by a fund set up to allow friends and fans to create a memorial to Kelly and his long history of starring at the King's, where he appeared in numerous pantomimes.

General manager James Haworth said: "We chose what we thought would be a fitting tribute and something that would raise a smile on the faces of our audience."

Kelly died surrounded by his family and close friends at the West Middlesex University Hospital in 2010.

The 51-year-old, who also appeared on TV and in films, grew up in Cranhill, Glasgow, and died after collapsing at his London home from a suspected brain aneurysm.

His funeral at St Aloysius' Church, in Garnethill, Glasgow, was attended by hundreds of people and the hearse carrying his coffin passed the King's after the ceremony.