TRAGIC Amy Winehouse may have been dead for up to six hours before her body was discovered lying in bed, cops fear.

The star, 27, last spoke to her security team at 10am on Saturday. She was found at home in Camden, North London, at 4pm. Medics said she`d been dead several hours. Police sources reported no sign of drugs at the house. Amy had seen her doctor on Friday night.

Amy`s doctor examined her the evening before her death - and gave her the all clear.

The singer was having regular check-ups because her drink and drug battles had left her so frail.

A source said: "The doctor was happy with her condition. When he left on Friday night he had no concerns. Less than 24 hours later she was found dead.

"Amy`s health has been very fragile and she has been having a series of check-ups."

Her cause of death is unlikely to be known until the police get the results of toxicology tests. That could take weeks.

But Amy`s family last night said reports she had bought cocaine, ketamine and ecstasy hours before she died were "nonsense".

They added in a statement: "Our family has been left bereft by the loss of Amy, a wonderful daughter, sister, niece."

Police sources confirmed there were no signs of drugs in her three-storey house.

Amy was found dead in bed at her £2million home by her security guard Andrew Morris just before 4pm on Saturday.

Her friend and PR man Chris Goodman said: "Amy was on her own at home apart from a security guard who we had appointed to help look after her over the past couple of years.

"She was in her bedroom after saying she wanted to sleep and when he went to wake her he found she wasn`t breathing.

"He called the emergency services straight away. He was very shocked.

"At this stage no one knows how she died. She died alone in bed."

On Friday night Amy had been well enough to play a drum kit she had recently moved into her bedroom. The noise was so loud neighbours complained.

Chris said Amy`s dad Mitch and mum Janis were heartbroken.

He added: "Mitch is totally shocked but he is being very strong for everybody."

Sobbing fans left flowers and touching personal messages at a makeshift memorial across the road from Amy`s house yesterday. One read: "Amy, your talent shone. Your angels will keep you safe now."

Some left empty wine glasses and even a case of Stella Artois as tributes. A dozen cigarettes were also scattered by the flowers. Amy was rarely seen without a ciggie despite having the lung disease emphysema.

Susie Reynolds, 33, said: "It is a tragedy. When I heard the news I did not want to believe it. She was a genius. She was different. She was one of a kind."

Amy may have been dead for up to six hours by the time she was found by Andrew. Paramedics who were called to the house in Camden Square, North London, believed she had been dead for "several hours at least." A source said: "Rigor mortis had set in indicating she is likely to have been dead for anything up to six hours.

She is known to have been alive at 10am, when she spoke to Andrew.
The source added: "There were no empty bottles, syringes, crack pipes or anything like that. It`s not believed she had vomited.

"Her health was in a very bad state and she had been admitted to hospital by ambulance on a regular basis suffering seizures. Her nervous system was shot to pieces. The last time she was taken to hospital was about two weeks ago after the collapse of her latest tour. She was found in the street and taken to a private London clinic."

Chris said Amy had battled hard to beat her drink and drug addictions but had suffered setbacks in recent weeks.

He added: "She was on the mend but she lapsed over the past month. Her death has come as a great shock. She was a fantastic talent and a sweet girl.

"Yes, she had her problems but she never did anyone any harm." Amy, whose second album Back To Black won five Grammy awards, is believed to have been worth around £10million. Janis told yesterday how she saw Amy the day before she died - and left her home sadly believing her death was "only a matter of time".

She added: "She seemed out of it. Her passing so suddenly still hasn`t hit me."

She said that after they spent the day together Amy said: "I love you, Mum." Janis added: "They are the words I will always treasure. I`m glad I saw her when I did."

Mitch, who has launched his own career as a singer, was in New York promoting his new jazz album when he learned the terrible news that his daughter was dead.

The ex-cabbie said: "I`m coming home. I have to be with Amy. I can`t crack up for her sake. My family need me."

Amy`s most famous song was the autobiographical Rehab - and over the years she spent many weeks in clinics trying to wean herself off drink and drugs. She went into the Priory in an effort to clean up before the start of her recent European tour.

But she was booed off stage in Belgrade last month following a shambolic performance. Further concerts were cancelled.

Friends said Amy`s most recent relapse in her addiction battle came after she split with film director boyfriend Reg Traviss.

He could no longer cope with her drinking following a series of blackouts.

Ashen-faced Reg, 32, did not comment yesterday as he left his London home to join Amy`s grieving family.

Amy`s former husband Blake Fielder-Civil has often been accused of getting Amy hooked on heroin and crack cocaine.
They married in Miami in May 2007 but divorced following a stormy two-year marriage marked by violence and drug-taking.

Fielder-Civil is in prison, serving 32 months for burglary and a firearm offence.

Fans who gathered outside Amy`s home yesterday made it clear they blamed Fielder-Civil for their idol`s death.

Sonja Jenkins, 21, said: "She was a really great singer but was out of control.
sections: Celebrities