A Wellington character known to many people simply as 'Blanket Man' died in hospital yesterday afternoon.
A Wellington Hospital spokeswoman confirmed the homeless man, whose name was Ben Hana, died in hospital at 3.35pm.
She could not comment on his cause of death.
Mr Hana, whose age was unknown, was a well-known personality who often sat or lay against shops and buildings in the central city. He preferred to wear a blanket and a loin cloth, and was often sighted with an iPod.
Wellington mayor Celia Wade-Brown said she was "very sad" to hear of the local fixture's death.
