Girls Aloud singer Sarah Harding has passed away aged 39 following her breast cancer battle.
Sarah's mother Marie updated fans of her loss via Sarah's official Instagram page, writing, "A message from Sarah’s mum.
“It’s with deep heartbreak that today I’m sharing the news that my beautiful daughter Sarah has sadly passed away. Many of you will know of Sarah’s battle with cancer and that she fought so strongly from her diagnosis until her last day.
"She slipped away peacefully this morning. I’d like to thank everyone for their kind support over the past year. It meant the world to Sarah and it gave her great strength and comfort to know she was loved. I know she won’t want to be remembered for her fight against this terrible disease – she was a bright shining star and I hope that’s how she can be remembered instead.
"-Marie x"
Sarah's Girls Aloud bandmates Cheryl and Nicola Roberts performed at London's Mighty Hoopla festival last night before Sarah's passing.
Sarah last updated fans following the release of her autobiography, Hear Me Out, earlier this year.
She posted, "I can’t thank everyone enough for all the kind and loving messages that I’ve received since the weekend. It means so much to me and to my mum. Today’s a special day because it’s publication day for Hear Me Out. At last. I actually can’t believe I’ve done it! What started out a dream idea last summer is now a reality.
"I hope you enjoy reading my story. The picture on the front of the book was taken by the amazing @ruthrosephotos a few years ago. I thought I’d share this little behind the scenes shot here. It’s a lot more sophisticated than some of the older pics in the book 😅😅! Can’t wait for you all to see them. Sending lots of love as always, S x"
Our thoughts are with Sarah's family and friends at this difficult time.