POP art pioneer Sir Peter Blake, famous for his Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover, has revealed that his financial troubles got so bad five years ago that he was visited by bailiffs.

Sir Peter, 79, earned a flat fee of just £200 for the 1967 Beatles cover after his agent signed away copyright and royalties.

He said: "I had no cash and no way to earn it.

"My credit cards were refused and bailiffs turned up at the house. I was very upset. It was to do with tax.

"Now I've reached the happy position that, mainly through printmaking, I'm not likely to be broke again."