The Great Stromboli was also a war hero and Guinness world record holder

Daniel Lynch, better known by his stage name which was taken from the Italian volcano, was also a war hero who took part in the D-Day landings and received a medal from the Russian government for his role in protecting the Arctic Convoys.

A Guinness world record-holder, he also appeared in the 1980 film, The Elephant Man, and was renowned for his collection of all things unusual, including replicas of the Crown Jewels, a mammoth's jaw and shrunken heads.

He died at the Royal Bolton Hospital on April 9, just five weeks after the loss of his wife Silvia, aged 87, who performed alongside him.

During the 1950s, 60s and 70s, the couple toured the globe with their variety show, even performing for royalty.

They were regulars on the Ken Dodd Show, where the act climaxed with Mr Lynch strapped into a replica of the electric chair at Sing Sing prison in New York.

Other such high-voltage antics saw him light bulbs by conducting electricity through his body.

Daniel Cornelius Lynch was born on July 7, 1926, in Rosyth, son of Daniel Lynch, Royal Naval Chief Petty Officer, and Dorothy (Maud) nee McCartney.

He had two sisters, Dorothy and Sheila, and brother Pat. He attended St John’s Primary School in Rosyth and St Margaret’s School in Dunfermline.

During the Second World War, aged 15, he joined the Royal Navy. He served on the tribal class destroyer, HMS Ashanti, and saw action in the Arctic Convoys to Murmansk, the relief of Malta, the invasion of North Africa and the D-Day landings. Later in the conflict, he was despatched to Singapore and then Japan.

It was during this period that he first tried his hand at fire-eating and sword-swallowing, planting the seed of a fascination which would have remarkable effects on the rest of his life.

After the war, Mr Lynch served in the Merchant Service in Australia and later sold life insurance in Manchester, before his own life took a dramatic twist and he became a performer.

In the 1980s, he held the world record for blowing flames from his mouth with the aid of a whisky glass of "fuel".

His Guinness record best was 136, however, he reportedly beat this with a feat of 214 flames but it was not acknowledged as judges said it would be too dangerous for anyone else to attempt.

In his later years, Mr Lynch was well known for his love of story-telling and magic shows.

He starred in the 1980 film, The Elephant Man, appearing as a fire-eater, and gained further credits for films The Bride and Princess Caraboo.

TV appearances included the David Nixon Show, Black and White Minstrels and the Kenny Everett Show.

Beyond the stage, he was renowned for his love of all things unusual, and throughout his life amassed a collection of weird and wonderful oddities he picked up on his travels.

His "horror cellar” collection of curiosities included shrunken heads, a two-headed calf, a devil fish, a mammoth's jaw, a giant 400-year-old Elephant Bird egg and replicas of the Crown Jewels.

Over the decades, Mr Lynch and his collection kept the Ripley's museum in Blackpool well stocked.

In 2017, he received an Ushakov Medal from the Russian government for his role in the defence of the USSR.

Mr and Mrs Lynch had no children and are survived by five nieces and six nephews.

His funeral was held on April 26 at St John Fisher Presbytery in Kearsley.