Monday 15 December 2008 06.10 EST First published on Monday 15 December 2008 06.10 EST. Friends and co-stars have paid tribute to Last of the Summer Wine star Kathy Staff, who has died aged 80. Staff played Nora Batty, famous for her curlers, wrinkled tights and razor-sharp tongue, in the long-running BBC1 comedy, making her last appearance in August at the end of the show's 29th series.