Coronation Street was first broadcast in December 1960

Harry Elton passed away on 16 May while travelling in Lhasa, Tibet, former colleague John Finch said.

In 1960, Mr Elton was an executive producer for Granada Television and was instrumental in convincing senior managers to make Coronation Street.

A memorial service is to be held in Ottawa, Canada, where Mr Elton lived. He leaves a wife and four daughters.

Toronto-born Mr Elton was brought up the US and later studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (Rada) in London.

He was great to work with, a real character John Finch Writer

Mr Finch, who was a writer on the series and later editor and producer, said: "Elton gave me my first break which meant I could leave my old job and become a full-time writer.

"He did marvellous work in the early days of the Street, when times were really hard.

"He was great to work with, a real character, and discovered the writer Tony Warren.

"But he had a hard time persuading managers to make the Street because they really didn't like it. They owe him a huge debt now."

'Hard work'

Mr Finch, 79, who lives in Settle in the Yorkshire Dales, is the only surviving member of the original writing team.

He added: "It was really hard work in the early days but Elton helped us through it."

Mr Elton returned to his native Canada in the late 1960s and became a broadcaster on the CBC network.