Harry Potter star Alan Rickman, 69, 'suffered a slight stroke and then died after short battle with pancreatic cancer'

Tragic: Alan Rickman, pictured for the last time in December, reportedly suffered from pancreatic cancer

Alan Rickman's death came after a short battle with pancreatic cancer, it was claimed today after the showbiz world paid emotional tribute to the much-loved actor.

The star died yesterday at a London hospital, surrounded by friends and relatives including his wife Rima, after waging a secret fight with the illness.

He apparently concealed his diagnosis from all but close confidants, and kept an upbeat demeanour even weeks before his death.

It was reported today that Rickman had been suffering from pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest forms of the disease.

Respected US showbiz journalist Roger Friedman claimed that the star had a suspected stroke in August, which led to his cancer diagnosis.

Writing on Showbiz 411, Mr Friedman said that Rickman told a select few friends about the disease during a visit to New York last month, when he was pictured at the musical Hamilton in what is the last known photograph of him. 

The charity Pancreatic Cancer Action said in a statement: 'We were very sad to hear that one of Britain’s most popular actors, Alan Rickman, passed away after a short battle with pancreatic cancer.

'Our thoughts are with all this friends and family at this very sad time.'

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Couple: Rickman with his wife Rima in July; the pair wed in 2012, half a century after they first met

Role: Rickman will be on screen again in the forthcoming film Eye in the Sky, which is about drone strikes

Tributes to Rickman were led by his Harry Potter colleagues J.K. Rowling, Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe, who praised him as a generous mentor to young actors.

His old friend and frequent collaborator Emma Thompson also spoke of her grief, revealing that she had 'kissed him goodbye' and calling him 'a rare and unique human being'.

Rickman married his long-term partner Rima Horton in secret four years ago, nearly half a century after they had first met as teenagers.

Neighbours said they had 'no idea' that Rickman was ill and described how he kept his usual upbeat demeanour in the weeks before his death.

Superstar: Rickman is known by many for his role as Professor Snape in the Harry Potter film franchise

Villain: The star shot to fame in films such as Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, left, and Die Hard, right

One local said: 'Whenever I saw him in the street I always thought he looked very well. He was such a lovely man, I'm so sorry to hear about his death.'

Another added: 'He always smiled and said hello when I saw him. I saw him before Christmas and he looked normal. I had no idea about the cancer.'

Producer Catherine Bailey, an old friend of Rickman's from drama school, said that he had remained remarkably selfless even when he was just days from death.

'I saw him two days before he died and he wanted to hear about me and my family and how we were,' she told the Guardian.

Young star: Rickman as a teenager at Latymer Upper School, where he began his career

Promising: The schoolboy appeared in a number of school productions years before becoming a professional

Rickman was scheduled to give a talk at his old school, Latymer Upper in Hammersmith, later this month - suggesting that he may not have known how advanced his cancer was.

He recently filmed The Limehouse Golem, a Gothic horror movie set in Victorian London and shot on location in Manchester over the past few months.

Two other films featuring Rickman, Eye in the Sky and Alice Through the Looking Glass, are scheduled to be released this year.

His family said in a short statement yesterday: 'The actor and director Alan Rickman has died from cancer at the age of 69. He was surrounded by family and friends.'

PANCREATIC CANCER: THE FACTS ABOUT THE DEADLY DISEASE

The pancreas is a gland situated behind the stomach, where the ribs meet at the bottom of the breastbone

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most deadly forms of the disease.

Only 3 per cent of patients survive for five years, compared to 87 per cent for breast cancer and 98 per cent for testicular cancer.

The average survival time for untreated advanced pancreatic cancer is about 3.5 months; with good treatment this increases to around six months.

Men tend to be diagnosed more than women, and the disease is more common in people over 60, while rare in those under 40. Smokers and the overweight are most at risk of the disease.

The pancreas is a gland situated behind the stomach, where the ribs meet at the bottom of the breastbone.

It produces digestive enzymes that help to break down food and a hormone known as insulin to control blood sugar levels.

When pancreatic cancer is in its early stages it rarely has any symptoms. This means most patients are not aware they are unwell until the condition is advanced.

The symptoms are also similar to those of a variety of other conditions, so can be hard to diagnose.

The most common symptoms are:

• Pain in the upper abdomen which sometimes spreads to the back. It usually comes and goes at first but becomes constant as the cancer advances. The pain is often worse when eating or lying down.
• Unexplained weight loss.
• Jaundice - yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes, dark yellow urine, pale stools and itchy skin.
• Diabetes - this causes excessive thirst, passing more urine than usual and weakness.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Fever and shivering.

Surgery to remove the tumour is usually the only way to completely cure pancreatic cancer, but this is a suitable treatment for only around 15 to 20 per cent of patients.