Roly-Poly Rita loses brave fight for life.

The courage of roly poly TV comedienne Rita Webb was revealed by cockney comic Arthur Mullard last night. Rita died of cancer yesterday aged 77.Arthur, 71, said: "I spoke to her on the phone only a couple of weeks ago and she told me then that she was in pain. "But she was determined to put on a brave face, and insisted that I shouldn't tell a soul". Cockney Rita died in London's Middlesex Hospital after a three week battle against the disease.
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She was 4ft 6in tall and weighed 14 1/2 stone. Her vital statistics were 48-37-46 and she described her face as her fortune. Rita once said: "My face has kept me in work for more than 35 years". Riotous Rita was a regular favourite on TV's Benny hill show. Her husband, music teacher Al Jeffery, 67 was heartbroken last night. Rita said recently: "He's always telling me that in his eyes, I'm the most beautiful creature he's ever seen".