Sir Paul McCartney has said he was “very sad” to hear of the death of his friend and composer Carl Davis.

Davis’s family announced on Thursday that the Bafta award-winning composer had died aged 86.

Sir Paul, 81, had worked with Davis and said his “enthusiasm was extremely infectious”, adding they “had a great time” writing music together.

A statement about Davis has been posted to Sir Paul’s Twitter account, alongside photos of the pair sitting at a piano.

In the post, Sir Paul said: “Carl and I wrote the Liverpool Oratorio together. It was my first full-length classical venture and I really enjoyed working with him to make it happen.

“I would show up at his house and we would start writing.

“I would suggest an idea and he would write it down on the manuscript paper which made it easy for him to play the idea back to me and we progressed like that. He was a very skilful and fun man to be with.

“When we came to perform the piece at Liverpool Cathedral it was very exciting for me who had once failed an audition for the choir at the cathedral to be back there with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.”

Ending the tribute, he added: “I enjoyed my time with Carl very much and send my love and sympathies.”

Davis, whose music credits include the BBC’s 1995 drama Pride And Prejudice, won a Bafta and an Ivor Novello Award for his score to 1981 classic The French Lieutenant’s Woman.

He also wrote music for films including 1984 hit Champions starring Sir John Hurt and 1989’s Scandal with Sir Ian McKellen and Joanne Whalley.

Davis’s family said they were “heartbroken” to announce his death, which came following a brain haemorrhage.