Cult band's singer killed in cycling accident

Mary Hansen, the singer with the cult Nineties band Stereolab, has died in a cycling accident. The 36-year-old was riding in central London and is thought to have been in a collision with a truck.

Mick Houghton, the band's spokesman, said the accident happened on Monday. "We believe a vehicle, possibly a truck, backed into her, but I really don't know much more than that at the moment," he said.

In a statement, the band's other members expressed their sadness. "The suddenness of her death has shocked the band," it said. "Mary was a special person. Our thoughts are with her family and friends."

Hansen, an Australian, had been a vocalist and guitarist with Stereolab since 1992. The band, which combined melodic Sixties-style pop with an art-house aesthetic, were one of the more influential alternative acts of the Nineties.

Fans have been posting their memories of Hansen on the band's website and on the BBC website. One fan recalled the first time he saw Stereolab in concert. "Mary really stood out. She seemed warm and welcoming," he wrote. Hansen's body is to be flown to Australia, where a funeral will be held near Brisbane next week.