Keith thanks hospital beauties

Showbiz

09:30 13 May 2006

Keith Richards has thanked the "beautiful ladies" who have been caring for him during his stay in hospital.

The Rolling Stones guitarist has been discharged from Auckland's Ascot Hospital, in New Zealand, just three days after undergoing surgery to drain a blood clot on his brain.

As he left the medical centre, Richards - renowned for his hard partying lifestyle - thanked the team who had been looking after him with a flirtatious quip.

He said: "From the doctors to the beautiful ladies who make painful nights less painful and shorter. I'm pretty much at a loss for words to express my deep gratitude.

"I hope I wasn't too much of a pain in the butt - after all it was my head they fixed. Many thanks, Kiwis."

The operation has now been hailed as a success, despite reports suggesting the 62-year-old rocker had been rushed back into hospital for a second procedure to relieve potentially dangerous pressure on his brain.

His spokeswoman, Fran Curtis, said: "Keith continues to improve as expected. His operation on Monday (08.05.06) was 100 per cent successful and there was no brain damage.

"He will be an outpatient returning to the hospital for check-ups."

Richards injured his head when he fell out of a coconut tree while holidaying in Fiji.

(C) BANG Media International