Stones cancel part of tour

The Rolling Stones cancelled the first concert of their upcoming Australia and New Zealand tour on Tuesday after the sudden death of lead singer Mick Jagger's girlfriend, L'Wren Scott, according to the band's touring company Frontier Touring. The six-concert series had been scheduled to kick-off in the western Australian city of Perth of Wednesday.

"No further information is available at this time [about whether the tour will resume], ticket holders are asked to hold on to their tickets until a further update is available," Frontier Touring said in a statement.

L'Wren Scott, 49, was found dead in her New York City apartment on Monday afternoon. The fashion designer and girlfriend of the Rolling Stones frontman was found hanged, according to US media. However, local authorities have not confirmed the cause of death.

A spokesperson for Mick Jagger described the 70-year-old as "completely shocked and devastated" by the sudden death of his girlfriend. It was not immediately clear whether he had yet departed from Australia for the United States.

There was an outpouring of condolences from celebrities who mourned the loss of the fashion icon.

"L'Wren was a total perfectionist, someone who absolutely embodied everything her marvellous clothes stood for: strength of character combined with a confident and powerful stlye," Vogue magazine editor Anna Wintour wrote on the publication's website.

In a statement, popstar Madonna said it was "a horrible and tragic loss."

A law enforcement official, who wished to remain anonymous until the designer's next of kin were notified, said no suicide note had been found but that there was currently no sign of foul play.

kms/pfd (AFP, Reuters, dpa)