A HAMPSTEAD born puppet genius who created the Thunderbirds is to be honoured with a new Royal Mail stamp.

Six stamps will be issued tomorrow to mark the 50th anniversary of Gerry Anderson’s ground-breaking programmes including Thunderbirds.

The full title of the stamp issue is FAB: The Genius of Gerry Anderson and it features characters which have enthralled millions since they first arrived on our TV screens in the 1960s, beginning with Supercar in 1961.

The stamps, split between First Class and 97p values, feature six of his most popular shows: Supercar, Fireball XL5, Stingray, Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and Joe 90.

Melanie Corfield, from Royal Mail, said: “Gerry Anderson’s sophisticated puppetry, combined with his taste for state-of-the-art special effects and futuristic super-vehicles, caused a sensation in the 1960s and his legacy lives on today.

“I’m delighted that Royal Mail is celebrating his ingenuity and inventiveness with our first stamp issue of 2011, and our first motion stamps.

“I’m sure that collectors and TV fans alike will enjoy the chance to see the opening credits of Thunderbirds again – but this time through the technology of stamps.”

The stamp issue also contains Royal Mail’s first motion stamps on a miniature sheet which re-enacts the famous 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 opening sequence to Thunderbirds.