EDGAR Biss, the local man who revolutionised cash counting in banks has died aged 81, whilst on a flight back to Britain from a holiday in France.

Mr Biss, of Hope Mansell near Ross-on-Wye, received an OBE in 2003 for his invention of the Tellermate, an electronic cash counting machine, which removed much of the drudgery in the lives of bank workers.

For Mr Biss, the eureka moment came in a slow-moving bank queue.

There must, he thought, be a faster way to count money.

With experience in the heavy weighting industry, his thoughts naturally turned to that technology for a solution.

The result was Tellermate, an electronic banknote and coin-counting machine.

In 1981, Edgar patented the first weight based equipment to count bills and coins on the same platform and thus Tellermate began, opening an office and manufacturing facility in Newport.

Tellermate’s first major-roll out was to Barclay’s entire UK banking network, coming full circle from Edgar’s wait in line at a bank.

Throughout the 90’s and early 2000’s, Tellermate gained a major presence throughout Europe and North America, opening regional offices in France, Germany, Spain and USA.

A family member said: “Edgar died suddenly and peacefully in mid air on his way home from France after the most wonderful family holiday with his wife, children and grandchildren.

"He was still full of exciting plans.”

The T-ice (intelligent Cash Drawer) which Mr Biss also invented during the early 2000s is just now coming onto the market.

A memorial celebration of his life will be held later in the autumn and a special concert will be staged in the spring.

Mr Biss had been a stalwart of St Briavels Music Society for many years, and had began sponsoring concerts in the local area and at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in Cardiff.