Inspector Morse author Colin Dexter was raising a glass to his famous character when he launched a new stamp at an Oxford pub today.

The new stamp

Mr Dexter was unveiling the new 2nd class stamp featuring the late actor John Thaw and his famous burgundy Jaguar at The Trout in Wolvercote.

The riverside pub was one of Morse's regular haunts in the hit TV series.

The stamp is one of a set of six issued to mark the 50th anniversary of ITV.

Julietta Edgar, Royal Mail's head of special stamps, said: "What better way to celebrate 50 years of world class television- making than by putting the programmes them- selves on a set of special stamps?

"Many of these land- mark programmes continue to be enjoyed by viewers around the country, and I think it is exciting that they will be able to see them in this way on millions of letters every day."

Pub landlord Bob Maher said he was looking forward to the launch. He said: "Colin comes down here now and again and it was a popular venue for Morse, too."

Mr Maher added that a scene for the new spin-off series Lewis was filmed at the pub a few weeks ago.

The latest murder mystery from the Inspector Morse team stars Kevin Whately, newly promoted to Inspector following Morse's onscreen death, with a sidekick of his own, Det Sgt James Hathaway (Laurence Fox).

Mr Dexter, who began writing after reading a crime novel on holiday and thinking he could do better, has written 13 Inspector Morse novels and numerous short stories.

The detective series was adapted for the small screen and became a huge success starring Mr Thaw and Mr Whately.

In 1999, Morse was killed off in The Remorseful Day.

Mr Thaw died in 2002, two years after the last episode was filmed. Mr Dexter, who lives in Banbury Road, Oxford, often made cameo appearances in episodes.