Roddy Piper
"Rowdy" Roddy Piper speaks during a press conference as fellow wrestler Chris Jericho looks on. Reuters

Former wrestler "Rowdy" Roddy Piper has died aged 61.

Piper was born Roderick Toombs in Saskatchewan, Canada, and was one of the main stars of the wrestling circuit from the mid-1980s and best known for wearing a kilt in the ring.

Over the course of his career, he won more than 30 titles and was inducted into wrestling's WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) Hall of Fame in 2005. Piper was one of the top 50 villains in WWE's history.

Piper died in his sleep in his home in Hollywood, California after a cardiac arrest on 30 July and his body was found on 31 July. Previously he contracted Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2006 but was understood to be fully cured.

"Roddy Piper was one of the most entertaining, controversial and bombastic performers ever in WWE," said WWE chairman Vince McMahon.

Paul "Triple H" Levesque -- 13 times world champion -- tweeted that Piper was "a legend and an icon".

Piper was renowned for his rivalry with Hulk Hogan and they headlined some of wrestling's biggest matches together.

Hogan and his partner beat Piper and his partner at the inaugural WrestleMania event in 1985 at New York's Madison Square Gardens.

Piper later tried his hand out at acting, starring in the 1988 cult film They Live.

The director, John Carpenter, said: "He was an under-rated actor and just a marvellous entertainer and I feel like I've just lost one of my close friends."

Piper is survived by his wife Kitty and their four children, including his son Colton who is pursuing a career in professional wrestling.

Piper's death comes a month after Dusty Rhodes, another Hall of Fame member, died aged 69.

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