Raymond Tomlinson, the inventor of the modern day email, has died at the age of 74.

The American programmer, who reportedly suffered a suspected heart attack, wrote and sent the first person-to-person email in 1971.

He has been credited with making the "@" icon a mainstay of the online world - and when Mr Tomlinson first showed his invention to a colleague, he famously said: "Don`t tell anyone! This isn`t what we`re supposed to be working on."

Despite becoming a cult figure in technology circles, associates described him as a "really nice, down-to-earth, good guy" who was patient and generous with his time.

When asked what he had written in those first emails, sparking a communication revolution, he said they were "entirely forgettable and I have, therefore, forgotten them".

Up until his death, Mr Tomlinson had continued to work for Raytheon as a principal scientist - and in his spare time, he raised miniature sheep with his partner in Massachusetts.

His biography on the Internet Hall of Fame website credits him with transforming how "millions of people shop, bank, and keep in touch with friends and family, whether they are across town or across oceans".

When he was inducted into the hall of fame in 2012, he said he had "no notion whatsoever" about the impact email would have as personal computers became prolific in homes.

Harry Forsdick, who commuted with Mr Tomlinson for 15 years, said: "Like many inventors, the invention for which he is known, email, probably represents less of his talent and imagination than many other ideas and projects he worked on over his career."

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