Haunted by tragedy - KATE'S SHOCK LOSS

The star is still dealing with the death of her dad when she was aged four

After a year of heartbreak and loss, Kate Beckinsale could have been forgiven for shedding a tear on her birthday this year. Her tears, however, were of joy, not sorrow.

The Underworld actor turned 51 on July 26 and was taken by surprise when her godfather, actor David Bradley, 82, presented her with a gift money could never buy a leather jacket that once belonged to her TV star father, Richard Beckinsale.

Kate was just five when Richard a household name in the UK for his roles in Porridge and Rising Damp - died of a massive heart attack at the age of 31.

David, known for his role as Walder Frey in Game of Thrones, inherited Richard's iconic leather jacket following his best friend's untimely death, and he cherished it for 45 years.

But on Kate's birthday this year, he decided it was time to give the jacket back to her.

"My heart hurts from being so full," she says.

"I remember the feeling of being lifted up in his arms as he was wearing it." It was a bright moment in a year that's been full of challenges for Kate. In January, her stepfather with whom she was close, British director Roy Battersby, 87, passed away after suffering a stroke while undergoing cancer treatment.