Online tributes to Britain's Got Talent break-dancing pensioner Fred Bowers, 77

Fans of a break-dancing pensioner who appeared on Britain's Got Talent have been paying tribute to him on Facebook.

Scores of people have been posting tributes online to Fred Bowers, who died this week aged 77.

Former soldier and gardener Fred, of Sutton Bonington, near Loughborough, shot to fame after amazing millions of viewers with his moves when he appeared on the TV show in 2009.

Fred, who passed away in hospital on Monday, was already a cult figure on the dancefloors of nightclubs in his hometown before his TV stardom.

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Fred had his personal Facebook site on which he had 5,201 friends and 1,454 photos on.

There is also a site dedicated to Fred which described him as "The Legend We All Love". Fred's personal site was flooded with messages paying tribute to him.

Ash Jones posted: "RIP Fred. keep on busting them moves up there, you'll be missed by many x."

Brad Janes said: "RIP Fred. I still have an LED light that you gave to me after dancing with it in Fusion. Legend."

Shireen Hand said: "I am so sad to hear that Fred has passed away. He was a lovely man. I used to work in the Rose and Crown and he'd always come over and have a chat before getting down to some serious breakdancing action."

Fred made it through to the semi-final of the hit ITV show.

However, his appearance caused controversy when it emerged he was claiming disability benefits.

A Department of Work and Pensions found he was claiming £70 a week in disability benefits for a bad leg and nearly £50 a month from the Government-funded Motability scheme to pay for a car.

It was decided he did not meet the criteria for Motability and that £70 a week was too much for his disability allowance.

He was told to pay back £10.80 a week from his pension.

Fred always maintained his innocence saying it was an overpayment.

Billy Johnson, Fred's best friend, said the pensioner was never happier than on the dancefloor of a club.

Mr Johnson, 38, of Zouch, Nottinghamshire, said: "Fred said he loved to be out and about in the town.

"He said he loved being around young people because he fed off their energy, which kept him young and active.

"The man quite simply loved to dance."