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Sir Tom Jones' wife dies after cancer battle

Los Angeles - Sir Tom Jones' wife has died.

The Green, Green Grass of Home singer's spouse of 59 years, Lady Melinda Rose Woodward, passed away on Sunday morning at Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles after a "short, but fierce, battle with cancer".

A statement released on behalf of Tom, 75, read: "Surrounded by her husband and loved ones, she passed away peacefully at Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. Sir Tom and his family have asked for privacy at this difficult time and no further information is currently available."

Tom - whose birth name is Thomas John Woodward - and his wife married at the age of just 17 in 1957, when they were expecting their first child together. Their son Mark, now 59,  was born a month after their wedding.

Throughout his career - which saw the music legend have numerous extra-marital affairs with famous women and groupies - he described Melinda as the "love of my life".

He previously said: "She loves being married to me and I love being married to her whatever happened."

Tom cancelled all of his planned concerts in Asia in April after discovering Melinda was "seriously ill". 

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