Lavigne loses voice and axes gigs

Avril Lavigne has postponed a string of US tour dates after losing her voice. The Canadian singer has been diagnosed with acute laryngitis two months into her five-month world tour. "I have been sick this whole tour," she said. Two dates were cancelled last week and six more shows, in California and Washington, have now been called off. After a sound check in Anaheim, California, she said: "Even though I have been resting my voice for days, when I tried to sing nothing came out." She has postponed shows in Anaheim, Universal City, Santa Barbara, San Jose - all in California - and Spokane and Everett in Washington. She had already cancelled concerts in San Diego, California, and Phoenix, Arizona.