Amy Winehouse's mother thinks she has been reincarnated as a butterfly.

Janis Winehouse takes comfort in her belief that the 'Back to Black' singer - who was found dead at her London home in July 2011 at the age of 27 - is still with her in spirit.

She said: ''Just knowing that [she is still with us] gives me strength.

''I'm pretty sure she has come back as a butterfly because she would love the freedom of flying.

''[At her funeral] Mitch was giving the eulogy and a butterfly flew in. I think it was a red admiral because, when they close their wings, they are black.

''The butterfly settled on Kelly Osbourne, then flew around Mitch.

''Also, we were at JFK airport in New York shortly after she died. We were eating some food when, all of a sudden, one of Amy's songs came on and a feather dropped onto our table.''

Janis found it hard to come to terms with Amy's death because she had seemed ''OK-ish'' when they had met earlier that day.

She recalled to Britain's HELLO! magazine: ''There didn't seem to be anything particularly untoward. I think that's why it took me time to actually accept it.''