Lavigne splits from husband

Avril Lavigne asked her husband of three years to move outÂ…

12:33 18 September 2009

Avril Lavigne has announced that she and her rock musician husband Deryck Whibley have split up.

The singer, wrote on her blog that she and Whibley, lead singer of the band Sum 41, were "separating and moving forward on a positive note".

"I am grateful for our time together and I am grateful and blessed for our remaining friendship," she added.

The couple began dating in early 2004 and were married in July 2006. They both grew up in Ontario, Canada.

The pop rocker, whose hits include 'Sk8er Boi', 'Girlfriend' and 'Complicated', wrote on her website: "We have been friends since I was 17, started dating when I was 19, and married when I was 21."

"I admire Deryck and have a great amount of respect for him.

"He is the most amazing person I know and I love him with all my heart."

Songs from the singer's fourth album, due out in November, have been produced by her husband although some speculate that these will be re-recorded to banish his contributions.

The title of that release is as yet undecided. Sum 41's last album, 2007's 'Underclass Hero', reached number seven in the US.