Ringo Starr cancels North America tour after testing positive for COVID again

Sir Ringo Starr has cancelled the rest of his North American tour after testing positive for COVID-19 for the second time in two weeks.

The 82-year-old former Beatles drummer said fans were sure to be "as surprised as I was" as he revealed his latest coronavirus setback.

Planned concert dates in California and Mexico have now been scrubbed.

Only three days ago, Sir Ringo said he was "on the road again" after recovering from an earlier bout of COVID-19.

"I'm sure you'll be as surprised as I was I tested positive again for COVID," he wrote, sharing a picture of himself on Twitter.

"The rest of the tour is off. I send you peace and love, Ringo."

He and his All Starr band cancelled a series of shows in Michigan, Minnesota and Canada after he fell ill for the first time.

Sir Ringo shot to fame as one quarter of The Beatles.

He joined the Fab Four in 1962, just before they hit the big time, replacing the original drummer Pete Best.

Establishing a successful solo career after The Beatles split in 1970, Sir Ringo formed his All Starr Band in 1989.

Alongside the former Beatle, the band consists of Toto's Steve Lukather, Men at Work's Colin Hay, Average White Band's Hamish Stuart and Edgar Winter.

The entertainer was knighted for his services to music in 2018.