It's a long way from Maplins holiday camp to the regal surroundings of Hampton Court - but David Webb has swapped his Yellow Coat for the red robes of Cardinal Wolsey.

IPSWICH: It's a long way from Maplins holiday camp to the regal surroundings of Hampton Court - but David Webb has swapped his Yellow Coat for the red robes of Cardinal Wolsey.

David, who starred alongside twin brother Tony Webb in the hit 80's TV show, went shopping as Ipswich's most famous son to promote the town as a holiday destination.

He had been chosen by Ipswich Central to head part of the campaign to attract more tourists to the area.

The sitcom star moved to the region after ending his stint as an actor and now works for Ipswich Town Football Club.

Mr Webb said: “Ipswich is such a great place to live, it's a very vibrant town.

“With all the development that is going on it's a really exciting place to be. What Ipswich has over a lot of places is its history. The town has such a fantastic history to offer.”

The campaign aims to attract visitors to the area by showcasing the diverse range of choice in Ipswich. The campaign not only reflects the town's heritage but also the array of shops and restaurants on offer.

Ipswich Central has devoted much time to making the town a better place to live and work - with past campaigns including 'Park for a Pound' and schemes to make the area safer for children.

This latest act to highlight Ipswich's strong historical background follows the launch of an appeal to raise �100,000 to honour Cardinal Wolsey - Ipswich's greatest son.

Civic Leaders and local historians gathered earlier this week to commemorate Henry VIII's Chancellor and to kick-start the appeal to create an artwork tribute for the Ipswich-born cardinal.

Wolsey's Gate and St. Peter's Church, near the town's waterfront, are all that remain of Wolsey's dream to build a college in Ipswich to rival the likes of Eton and Winchester.

Thomas Wolsey was born in his father's tavern in Ipswich sometime in 1471. Being the son of a butcher and the nephew of an MP, Wolsey received a grand education studying both in the town and in Oxford.

In April 1509, Henry VIII succeeded his father to become King. Wolsey was appointed as his chancellor and dispenser of charity. Wolsey rose to become archbishop of York and in 1515 he was made a cardinal. Wolsey dreamed of building a college in Ipswich to rivial the like of Eton and Winchester. The only remains of this dream are Wolsey's Gate and St Peter's Church.

In 1530 Wolsey died in prison. He was arrested on suspicion of treason after failing to secure Henry's divorce from Katherine of Aragon. A �100,000 appeal has been launched to honour Wolsey in his hometown.

David Webb starred in the hit BBC sitcom Hi-De-Hi! alongside twin brother Tony Webb.

Hi-De-Hi! ran from 1980-1988 and in 1984 won a BAFTA for Best Comedy Series.

After his stint as an actor ended, David moved to the region where he began a career with BBC Radio Suffolk.

David now works as a camera man for Ipswich Town Football Club.