Stripes cancel festival dates

US rock duo the White Stripes have been forced to cancel two major festival gigs as frontman Jack White continues to struggle with injuries sustained in a recent car accident.

The Detroit band had been set to play Leeds and Reading as part of the Carling Weekend festival over the August bank holiday, but have had to pull the dates while White waits for his index finger, shattered in the road smash, to heal. The singer has had three screws inserted into the injured finger, and has been told he cannot play guitar until his recovery is complete.

The star has expressed his regret over being forced to cancel the dates, even going as far as to release a statement apologising to the band’s growing legion of fans. The statement reads:

"The White Stripes would like to apologise most sincerely to the admirers of the band who have purchased tickets to see us perform in the midst of this, a most unfortunate accident. A bone in the index finger of my fretting hand was shattered in an automobile accident, making it absolutely impossible to play guitar. I've been instructed by doctors that there is no way I can move my wrist until it is completely healed.

"The break did not heal properly, and surgery had to be performed. Three screws were placed in my finger to set the bones and insure complete recovery.

"Our shows until the middle of September must all unfortunately be cancelled. The real shame is that it is virtually impossible to make it up to those admirers who purchased tickets to those festivals with the sole intention of experiencing the White Stripes live. We apologise to those people and hope that the other performers will fulfill a lost space for you. As for the club touring, we are currently doing our best to reschedule certain venues, but again misfortune prevails and we will have no time to make them all up."

The loss of the gigs is a blow to the blues-rock duo, whose profile has been steadily rising in the UK over the last few months. Their fourth album Elephant topped the charts, while White’s relationship with Hollywood actress Renee Zellweger has earned the band plenty of coverage in the tabloids.