Bowie off Oxygen bill after 'heart op'

Music icon David Bowie has reportedly been forced to cancel his European tour - including a scheduled appearance at this weekend's Oxygen festival - after heart surgery.

Official reports said the singer had suffered a trapped nerve in his right shoulder while in Germany.

In treating Bowie for that complaint, doctors discovered the 57-year-old had an acutely blocked artery which required emergency surgery, German newspaper Hamburger Morgenpost claimed .

However, a spokesman for Bowie had earlier said the tour had been axed because of a trapped nerve.

It has also emerged that the star was using his unscheduled time off from performing to pen some new songs.

Bowie was released from hospital earlier this week and is back in his New York home.

Commenting on the shoulder injury, a spokesman said the star had been "gutted" at being forced to cancel his tour.

He added: "He was advised that the condition was probably likely to get worse over the period of the tour and that he should return to the US to rest.

"He's in New York now and he's already started writing songs for his next album."