Smokie singer Barton dies

COLOGNE, Germany (AFP): The lead singer of pop group Smokie, Alan Barton, died of his injuries here after a road accident, his manager announced yesterday.

Barton, 42, was hurt in a crash on Sunday after a concert in Lennestadt west of Cologne as the group headed toward Dusseldorf airport to return to Britain.

Their minibus was caught up in a hailstorm and skidded along a motorway embankment, turning over several times.

Barton was airlifted by helicopter to a Cologne hospital where he lay in a coma for five days before he died. The four other group members were not as seriously hurt and were taken to hospital in nearby Gummersbach by ambulance.