Winehouse taken to accident and emergency

North London singer Amy Winehouse is in a stable condition after being taken to a hospital accident and emergency department, her spokesman has confirmed.

An ambulance was called to the 24-year-old's house in Camden on Monday evening and she was taken to University College Hospital.

Her spokesman Chris Goodman said the pop star had suffered a reaction to medication and would remain in hospital until at least Tuesday morning, when medics will decide whether to discharge her.

Winehouse's father Mitch remained with the singer, asking reporters and photographers to leave the family alone as he entered the hospital.

However, when asked how serious his daughter's condition was, he held up a bag of KFC takeaway and replied: "This is how serious it is."

The singer has publicly battled with health problems in recent months, with her husband Blake Fielder-Civil's imprisonment causing obvious stress.

She was caught on video in January apparently smoking crack cocaine in footage obtained by The Sun newspaper.

She spent a stint in rehab before emerging for a well-received performance at the Grammys in February.

Then in June her performances at Glastonbury and the Nelson Mandela 90th birthday concert were thrown into doubt when she collapsed at home and had to undergo hospital tests.

A spokeswoman for London Ambulance Service confirmed paramedics went to an address in NW1 for an adult female who was unwell. Scotland Yard said police cleared a crowd of photographers out of the way to let the ambulance leave the home.