Eurovision singer Clodagh Rodgers dies aged 78

Singer Clodagh Rodgers, who represented the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1971, has died at the age of 78.

The Northern Irish star secured fourth place in the competition, held in Dublin, with the song Jack In The Box.

She was also a regular face on television, appearing in various TV shows in the 1970s.

With a heavy heart, my dear beautiful mum Clodagh has sadly passed away after battling an illness for the last three years. She passed away peacefully yesterday surrounded by her family

Her son, Sam Sorbie, said in a post on Facebook that she had died after suffering a long-term illness and that life would “not be the same” without her.

He said: “With a heavy heart, my dear beautiful mum Clodagh has sadly passed away after battling an illness for the last three years. She passed away peacefully yesterday surrounded by her family in Cobham.

“Mum has lived an incredible life, full of love and happiness. Her fantastic career performing, travelling the world, devoting her life to her two sons and being the rock of this family.

“Life will not be the same without mum, but she will finally be at peace now with dad, nanny and pappa.

“We all love and miss her terribly.”

Scoring 98 points at the Eurovision Song Contest, she lost out to Monaco, represented by Severine, also known as Josiane Grizeau, with the song Un Banc, Un Arbre, Une Rue.

Rodgers spent more than a year in the charts from 1969 to 1971 with top five hits such as Goodnight Midnight and Come Back And Shake Me.

She had two children; Matthew, with first husband John Morris, and Sam, with guitarist Ian Sorbie, to whom she was married for seven years until his death in 1995.