Winehouse's father wanted her committed

Amy Winehouse's father once considered having his daughter committed to a mental institution - in a bid to help her kick her drug habit.

Mitch Winehouse is desperate to find a way to help his troubled daughter and admits he has thought about having her sectioned under the Mental Health Act - but hospital officials couldn't help, because the Back to Black star isn't considered at risk of hurting herself.

He tells British radio station LBC: "You might consider taking drugs is a danger to herself, but unfortunately the authorities don't."

Winehouse has pleaded with his famous offspring to seek help for her substance abuse problems and is saddened that she constantly refuses treatment.

He adds: "Part of the problem is she doesn't think she's got a problem.

She thinks she can do what she does recreationally and get on with the rest of her life.

"The moment she says she wants to go into a facility, within half an hour she will be in a facility. But unless she wants to do it of her own accord, it's pointless.

"You can't lock the key and say, 'You can't come out before you're better'. That's called abduction."

The star, who famously penned her 2006 'Rehab' about her unwillingness to stay in a rehabilitation facility, has been embroiled in drugs scandal after a British tabloid published video footage showing her apparently smoking crack cocaine last Friday.