Muppet designer Jane Henson dies

Jane Nebel Henson, former wife of Muppets creator Jim Henson, has died at the age of 78.

Henson passed away on Tuesday (April 2) at her home in Connecticut following a long battle with cancer, according to a statement released by the Jim Henson Company, which is owned by her five children.

Born in Queens, New York, in 1934, Henson started out as a puppeteer during which time she also met her husband Jim.

She later became an influential force in the creation of the popular Muppets TV programme.

Kermit, Miss Piggy and Co. have since of course achieved global fame, and are now regulars on the silver screen.

While Jane stopped working as a puppeteer in the early 1960s to concentrate on raising her children, she was still responsible for recruiting top talent and occasionally performing on the children's show "Sesame Street."