From correspondents in London, England, 03:30 PM IST

Troubled British singer Amy Winehouse is showing symptoms of tuberculosis as she coughs up blood and has a chest infection.

Thesun.co.uk reports that Winehouse also has a irregular heartbeat and doctors have put her on a drip as they try to get her off her drug addiction.

A close friend of Winehouse said: 'Amy is in a bad way. Doctors are still struggling to control her heartbeat but the chest condition has been really worrying them. She'd been been suffering horrible coughing fits and hurling up blood for a while but refused to be examined. Doctors now believe it is tuberculosis and are doing more tests to be certain.

'Things sound really bad, but at least now they have found something specific it will be easier to keep her in hospital and free from drugs. The word tuberculosis might frighten her into getting herself well. It certainly should do. She needs to realise she will die if she doesn't clean up her act,' added the source.

Winehouse looks like she may not be ready to perform at Glastonbury or at Nelson Mandela's birthday party next month.

The friend added: 'The last thing she needs is to be wheeled on stage. She needs proper rest.'

(Staff Writer, © IANS)