Soul sensation Joss Stone has been warned by doctors to stop straining her vocal chords or risk irreparably ruining her voice.

While the YOU HAD ME star, 17, rubbishes reports specialists ordered her to take a break from her hectic career last year (04), she does admit potentially destructive nodules on her throat are threatening her future in the music industry.

And Stone has been instructed to soften her celebrated singing voice if she wants to keep performing.

She says, "I do have the beginnings of nodules on my throat, which is something that happens to singers. I went to see a specialist and was told that I shouldn't strain my voice.

"They told me to work with a voice coach and to make sure that I rest between performances. Another problem is that I have a lot of acid reflux - which again is something quite normal that a lot of people get - but it all starts to burn the throat, which can be bad."

02/03/2005 02:52