Rock legend David Bowie suffered six heart attacks before his death, one of his biographers has claimed.

Bowie, who underwent heart surgery in 2004, died of cancer on Sunday but it has now been claimed he was also battling other health problems, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

Wendy Leigh, who published a biography of the singer last year, told BBC News: "He didn't just battle cancer... he had six heart attacks in recent years. I got this from somebody very close to him."

Meanwhile, fans organised an impromptu street party in the singer's birthplace of Brixton, south London on Monday.

Hundreds of devotees lined the streets to sing and dance the night away in tribute to the iconic star.