Toby Jones stars in film about UK Mars mission

Pillinger, originally from Kingswood near Bristol, became a familiar face in the 1990s as he sought public support and funding for the ambitious mission, enlisting celebrities and pop stars to help promote it.

Beagle 2 was launched into space on board the European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter.

His Beagle 2 lander was due to touch down on 25 December 2003, but failed to send a signal confirming it had landed safely.

The mission was considered a failure for years, however, in January 2015 images taken by US space agency Nasa showed the lander had reached the surface safely.

Pillinger died eight months earlier following a brain haemorrhage.