BELOVED Black Country comic Tommy Mundon's legacy will live on at Dudley Town Hall after providing a lifetime of laughs at the venue.

The portrait of the Halesowen comedian was produced by the chairman of the Dudley Society of Artists, Keith Turley, who was among the 30 guests invited to see it being unveiled at the town hall last Thursday.

Councillor Steve Waltho, Mayor of Dudley, who led the ceremony, said: “Tommy was a comedian, but also an ambassador for this area, bringing to life the strange quirks and features of this fantastic region with his unique brand of comedy for more than 50 years.

“It was an honour and a privilege to unveil the portrait with his friends and family.”

Tommy’s family approached Dudley Council asking for the popular comic's portrait to be displayed as a tribute to the great man and council bosses agreed to place the painting in the bar of the town hall - which is now known as the Tommy Mundon lounge.

Dudley Town Hall is famous for the top stand up comedy acts who have performed there, including Tommy.

The comic died at Mary Stevens Hospice in July last year, four months after celebrating his 80th birthday, following a five-year battle with Parkinson’s disease.

Mr Mundon, who lived in all his life in Hasbury, was regarded as a master of observation whose routines captured Black Country people’s way of having a laugh at themselves rather than at the expense of others.

Tommy Mundon began his showbiz career telling jokes at fundraising shows for his local Methodist church before moving on to perform in clubs and at Rotary Club dinners.

He played a major part in the success of the Black Country Night Out show and the MWM light entertainment troupe during the 1970’s.

Despite his growing fame the comic, who was also known for drinking nothing stronger than orange juice during his shows, carried on in his full-time job working as a lorry driver for Dudley Council.