SIR Peter Ustinov had a gift for story-telling which delighted audiences in every country he visited.

It was a truly extraordinary gift he possessed to dominate a stage or TV chat show as a raconteur.

He was one of the great all-round entertainers Britain has produced.

Although he was born in London, Sir Peter Ustinov never claimed to be British.

He preferred to think himself as a citizen of the world, fitting perhaps for a man who claimed to have Russian, German, Swiss, Italian, French and Ethiopian blood.

Although he made his name as an actor, his family background and upbringing also made him a fine international ambassador. His fame merely allowed him to fulfill that role.

In the North-East, we were privileged to see his skills as an ambassador.

When he was appointed Chancellor of Durham University in 1992, he refused to confine his role to merely ceremonial duties.

For a decade he took a keen interest in all developments, and raised the profile of the university across the world.

His contribution at degree ceremonies was always witty, always entertaining, and always poignant.

At Durham he will be a hard act to follow.

But for the world of entertainment and for Unicef he will be irreplaceable.

For 35 years he worked tirelessly as a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador. He had a wonderful rapport with children, and raised the issues of education, poverty and healthcare across the globe.

His ability to relate to most nationalities (usually in their own language) and raise concerns about the less fortunate were very rare qualities.

They are qualities which will be sorely missed in a world increasingly dominated by cultural divisions; divisions which Sir Peter Ustinov refused to recognise.