A former Mayor of Tenby believes that a plaque should be erected in the town to commemorate the death of horse racing-based crime novelist Dick Francis and acknowledge his connection to the seaside resort.

Best-selling Welsh author, Dick Francis, who was born in Lawrenny in 1920, passed away at his Caribbean home in Grand Cayman on Sunday. He was 89.

His long association with horse racing began early on as his father, grandfather and great-grandfather had all been amateur steeplechase jockeys and, subsequently, horse breeders and breakers., while Mr. Francis' first opportunity to exercise racehorses was provided by David Harrison, who trained near Tenby.

As a National Hunt jockey, Mr. Francis won over 350 races and rode eight times in the Grand National, including for the late Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, in 1956.

A year later though, he suffered a serious fall and was advised to retire from race riding.

He was approached to write his autobiography and The Sport of Queens was published in 1957.

He then became the Sunday Express newspaper's racing correspondent for 16 years.

It was while he was with the 'paper that the uncle of Tenby's John Griffiths, the town's Mayor in 2007, received a letter from Mr. Francis on behalf of the paper's editor.

"My uncle Mr. Harold Sandercock received the letter signed from Dick Francis on August 5, 1969, in response to correspondence he had sent the newspaper, and in the letter he refers to the fun he used to have at his grandfather's place at Penryn, Picton Road," explained Mr. Griffths.

Mr. Francis wrote: "It really is gratifying to know that my article about racing in Wales - or the lack of it - has brought back so many nostalgic memories. It was nice too, to hear from someone who remembered so well the sport we all used to enjoy on the Tenby course near Twycross."

Mr. Griffiths thinks that a plaque should be placed in the town to recognise the late Mr. Francis' association with Tenby and the area.

"It would be nice if Mr. Francis was remembered in some way in Tenby, and in keeping with the horse racing association, it would also be nice if something was put up in memory of the racehorse that won the Grand National in 1921, Shaun Spadah, which was trained at the town's Upper Frog Street," said Mr. Griffiths.

Mr. Francis's beloved wife, Mary, to whom he was married for 53 years, passed away in 2000. They had two sons Merrick and Felix.

A private funeral is due to be held in the Caribbean with a memorial service in London at a later stage.

Mr. Francis's most recent works, including Dead Heat and Silks, were co-authored by his son Felix, and their next novel is due to be published in the autumn.