Adam West, who starred as Batman in the 1960s television series, has died at the age of 88.

“Our dad always saw himself as The Bright Knight and aspired to make a positive impact on his fans' lives. He was and always will be our hero,” his family said in a statement published by The Hollywood Reporter.

West died on Friday in Los Angeles after a brief battle with leukaemia.

He achieved global fame when he was cast as the caped crusader. The series premiered in 1966 and ran for three seasons before it was cancelled by ABC.