Irish and international singer Dolores O’Riordan has died suddenly in London today.

She was 46 years old.

The lead singer with the Irish band The Cranberries, was in London for a short recording session and had suffered from ill health in recent times.

No further details are available at this time.

In a short statement, it said that family members are "devastated" to hear the breaking news and have requested privacy at this very difficult time.

The Cranberries were one of Ireland's biggest bands of the last 20 years.

Formed in the late 1980s, they shot to fame after their debut album 'Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We' was released in 1993 and their first hit single 'Linger' became a global smash.

Their follow-up, 'No Need to Argue' released the following year and produced hit singles 'Zombie', 'I Can't Be With You' and 'Ode To My Family'.

The band have sold over 40milion records worldwide with seven studio album releases in total, the most recent of which was last year's 'Something Else'. However, a tour to support the acoustic LP was cancelled due to Dolores' health issues.

In recent years, Dolores also fronted a band called D.A.R.K. and was in working on an unknown project at the time of her death.

Dolores split from her husband Don - Duran Duran's former tour manager - in 2014 after 20 years together. They have three children, Taylor, 20, Molly, 16, and Dakota, 12.

Met Police police have confirmed they are investigating the death of a woman in her 40s, though they did not confirm it was Dolores O'Riordan.

The Met Police went on to say that at this stage the death is being treated as unexplained.

independent.ie/irish-news/news/lead-singer-of-the-cranberries-dolores-oriordan-dies-aged-46-36490482.html