Shane MacGowan Pogues singer dies aged 65

Singer-songwriter and The Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan has died aged 65, following ill-health and a recent hospital stay after being diagnosed with encephalitis.

Posting on Instagram, she wrote: "I don't know how to say this so I am just going to say it. Shane... has gone to be with Jesus and Mary and his beautiful mother Therese."

She said MacGowan "will always be the light that I hold before me and the measure of my dreams and the love of my life and the most beautiful soul and beautiful angel and the sun and the moon and the start and end of everything that I hold dear".

A statement from MacGowan's spokesperson confirmed he "died peacefully at 3.30am this morning (30 November) with his wife and and sister by his side".

On 22 November, Clarke said he had left hospital, and just a few days later she said they celebrated their wedding anniversary, and were grateful they were "still alive".

In 1988 Kirsty MacColl collaborated with The Pogues for the Christmas song Fairytale of New York, written by MacGowan, which got to number two in the UK chart and remains one of the UK's best-loved Christmas songs.

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