Florence Welch cancels gigs after losing voice

(IAN WEST / PA)

Chart star Florence Welch has cancelled a pair of festival gigs to avoid permanently damaging her voice, as she heads for her first number one single.

The singer - who records as Florence + The Machine - said she had suffered a "vocal injury" and has lost her voice after she felt something "snap".

She apologised to fans for the cancellation of the shows in Spain and Portugal saying she has been told she cannot sing for a week.