Stricken Sting cancels tour date

Sting began his 120-date Sacred Love tour in Miami in January

Rock star Sting has postponed a ninth consecutive performance on his tour after suffering from laryngitis.

The former Police frontman said Wednesday's gig at Birmingham's NEC Arena would be rescheduled.

Sting said: "This is a bitter blow for me. It is a terrible beginning for the UK tour, I feel gutted. We are not having a good couple of days up here."

Tickets for the show will be valid for the show when it is rescheduled, a venue spokesman said.

Hits

The 52-year-old singer's UK gigs are part of his 120-date tour of Europe and North America, which began in January in Miami and is due to end in Toronto in October.

The UK leg was due to begin at the Metro Radio Arena in his home city of Newcastle on Friday, but doctors advised him to cancel the performance.

Subsequent gigs in Manchester and Glasgow were also postponed, but the singer aims to honour his commitment to perform six dates at London's Royal Albert Hall from Friday.

Sting has had 21 UK top 40 hits as a solo artist, including Englishman in New York, and 17 hits with The Police.