HOLLYWOOD stars Ralph and Joseph Fiennes are mourning the sudden death of their father, who collapsed at his Suffolk home yesterday morning.It is believed the two famous brothers have now broken-off from filming commitments to travel to their family home in Clare – where their father Mark and his second wife, Caroline, have lived for the past six years.

HOLLYWOOD stars Ralph and Joseph Fiennes are mourning the sudden death of their father, who collapsed at his Suffolk home yesterday morning.

It is believed the two famous brothers have now broken-off from filming commitments to travel to their family home in Clare – where their father Mark and his second wife, Caroline, have lived for the past six years.

Mr Fiennes, 70, an acclaimed photographer, collapsed and died at his luxury five-bedroom house in Nethergate Street early yesterday morning.

Ralph Fiennes, 41, is currently shooting the new Harry Potter film, The Goblet of Fire, in which he plays Lord Voldemort. Joseph Fiennes, 34, has also been away filming for his latest role.

The brothers have become two of the best-known British actors of recent years after starring in number of award-winning films.

They are the sons of Mr Fiennes and his first wife, the novelist Jennifer Lash, who died in 1993. The couple had four other children; Magnus, a renowned music composer; Jacob, Joseph's twin, who is a Norfolk gamekeeper; Martha, a film director and Sophie, a producer.

Yesterday, Mrs Fiennes, a flower decorator, was too upset to talk about the sudden death of her husband, but tributes were paid to him from the local community.

The couple married in 1996 and moved to Clare around six years ago – swiftly becoming popular members of the community.

Pammy Pashler, who has been the couple's cleaner ever since they arrived in Clare, said: “Mark was one of the nicest people I have ever met, he would do anything for anyone.

“I feel so sorry for Caroline because she is a lovely woman and they were a very happy couple. Although they obviously had a lot of success in the family they were not affected at all, they were very down to earth and very involved in the local community.

“I have seen the boys and all the other children on numerous occasions and they are all such nice people. They are a very close family.

“Mark's death has come as such a shock, he had shown no signs of illness and was very fit. He would go on his treadmill everyday.

“I will miss Mark very much, he was a lovely man who thought the world of his wife and his children. The family is expecting all the children to arrive soon.”

After moving to Clare, Mr Fiennes, who is also a cousin of the famous explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, became a prominent figure in the community.

He was the secretary of the local preservation group, the Clare Society, and a keen supporter of the Stop Stansted Expansion campaign.

Anna Moore, chairman of the Clare Society, said: “Mark was a larger than life character and was very well-known and popular in Clare.

“He worked so hard and really embraced his role as secretary for the group because he loved Clare so much. He immersed himself in working to ensue Clare kept is historical and commercial essence.”