Watership Down writer dead at 96
WATERSHIP Down author Richard Adams has died aged 96.
In a statement issued yesterday, his loved ones said: “Richard’s much-loved family announce with sadness that their dear father, grandfather, and great-grandfather passed away peacefully at 10pm on Christmas Eve.”
Adams, who grew up in Berkshire, penned the classic book at 52 after encouragement from his children. He conjured up the tale about the plight of rabbits whose home is under threat while reading bedtime stories to his daughters.
The book was published in 1972 and has sold tens of millions of copies. It was also transformed for the big screen, and its theme tune – Art Garfunkel’s Bright Eyes – was at No1 for six weeks in 1979.