Ron Hickman, design director with Lotus Cars in the 1960s, has died at the age of 78.

Hickman headed the design team responsible for the trendsetting Lotus Elan sports car, followed by the Lotus Cortina, Lotus Europa and Elan Plus 2.

He later went on to design the portable workbench, the Workmate, which has sold more than 100 million worldwide.

Hickman, who retired to Jersey in 1982, was made an OBE in 1994 for his services to industrial innovation.