A BLACK Country pastor has paid tribute to former Bond villain Richard Kiel who died last week.

Reverend Dr Tony Stone, leader of William Street Church in Brierley Hill, became friends with the towering seven foot two star, who played steel-toothed villain Jaws in Moonraker and The Spy Who Loved Me, after the actor became a born again Christian.

Dr Stone, who has also been a minister at Stourbridge's Chawn Hill Church and Oldswinford Church Fellowship, met the actor while working as an international evangelist in the USA.

He said: "Richard would come along to some of the crusades and give a testimony - his story of how he became a Christian.

"He became world famous for his appearances in the James Bond films and he would draw huge crowds.

"Being seven foot two, it did create some health problems and I did know that Richard had been unwell.

"I knew he had a real problem with alcohol in early life but that all changed when he became a born again Christian.

"He influenced and encouraged many people with his faith, I saw it with my own eyes.

"I last spoke to Richard when he came to London for the 50th anniversary of the Bond films.

"He was a gentle giant and had a huge stature in every sense. I was deeply saddened by his passing."

Kiel, who was 74, was one of the most memorable villains of the Roger Moore Bond era in the 1970s.

He also had roles in Pale Rider with Clint Eastwood, Cannonball Run 2, Adam Sandler's golf comedy Happy Gilmore - and he was the voice of Vlad in the 2010 animated tale Tangled.