Singer Morrissey was rushed to hospital after collapsing on stage with breathing problems during a concert.

The 50-year-old former frontman of 1980s pop band The Smiths fell ill while performing at the Oasis Leisure Centre in Swindon.

He had just finished singing his 1983 hit This Charming Man before he slumped to his knees and was carried off stage by members of his band.

A Great Western Ambulance Service spokeswoman said a call was received just after 9pm to a 50-year-old man who was reported to be suffering from respiratory problems and was unconscious.

"We sent a paramedic in a doubled-crewed ambulance,” she said.

"When they arrived they found a conscious patient who was not feeling well at all. They made an initial assessment and took him to the Great Western Hospital for further assessment."

She said his condition was not thought to be life threatening.

A hospital spokesman said: “Morrissey has been admitted to the Great Western Hospital. He is being reviewed by the medical staff and his condition is stable.”

The singer has toured North America and Europe after releasing his ninth solo album, Years of Refusal, in February.

Morrissey has already cancelled a number of dates this year citing an 'unspecified illness'.

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