Shirley Manson grieving as her mum dies

Muriel Manson passed away peacefully on Wednesday evening at her Edinburgh home after a long illness. The Garbage star was rushing from her Los Angeles home to comfort her devastated father John.

The recently-engaged music star has been inundated with support messages on her Facebook site after the death of her mother, a former singer.

A message online from 42-year-old Manson said: "My beloved mother died today from complications arising from dementia.

"I just wanted you to know because anyone who has ever been touched by me and my band and our music has in part been touched by my mum."

At the family home, Shirley's dad John looked physically drained as he spoke of his wife's death.

He said: "The family are all devastated about Muriel's passing. It happened around 8pm on Wednesday evening at home and it was very peaceful.

"I've spoken to Shirley and she is flying into Scotland from the States. We knew she had been ill for a while and knew it was a matter of weeks or months rather than years."

Miss Manson has an older sister Lindy-Jane, and a younger sister Sarah, who are also thought to be making their way to the family home in Edinburgh.

Fans have left hundreds of messages of support on the star's fan site after the Happy When It Rains singer made the announcement.

One reads: "So sorry about your loss. My thoughts are with you at this horrible time, but you're a strong person and I know you'll soldier through this. Take lots of care."

And another fan wrote: "My thoughts are with you Shirl. I'm so sorry to hear about your loss, but don't worry; she's now watching you from above and will be taking care of you forever."

The news comes just weeks after Miss Manson announced her engagement to Billy Bush, a sound engineer who has worked with Garbage.

It will be the singer-turned-actress's second marriage after she wed sculptor Eddie Farrell in 1995. The pair split in 2003 and were divorced in 2005.

The star has sold over 14 million albums with her band Garbage and was last month voted Most Stylish Female at the Scottish Style Awards 2008.

She was recently cast in her acting debut in the hit TV show Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles were she plays a new type of terminator.

The Stupid Girl singer has cited actress Glenn Close and former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as influences on her portrayal of the android character.

Two years ago she fronted a documentary entitled Cut: Teens And Self-Injury, and spoke of her teenage problems with self-harming when she would cut her legs with a razor whenever she experienced anxiety and depression.

She admitted it was an early involvement in theatre that helped halt her self-harming tendencies.