Bee Gees star Robin Gibb was rushed to hospital yesterday (13.10.11) with "severe" abdominal pains.

The 'Stayin' Alive' singer was taken ill at his home in Thame, Oxfordshire, England, and his wife Dwina called an ambulance for him which then took him to the specialist stomach unit at a nearby hospital.

A source told the Daily Express newspaper: "An ambulance rushed over to pick him up. His wife was with him and she obviously looked very worried. He looked in severe pain."

Robin - who is teetotal and a vegetarian - has suffered from crippling stomach pains for years and medical professionals have been unable to diagnose an exact cause for the ailment.

A friend of the star said: "He would never go to hospital unless he really had to. He is a very brave man."

This is the second time this year the 61-year-old musician has been hospitalised with abdominal discomfort.

In April, he was taken in for tests and was in so much agony he had to cancel a series of Brazilian concerts, including performances in Sao Paolo and Brasilia, as doctors warned him not to travel.

In 2010, Robin underwent surgery for a blocked intestine - the same condition which led to the death of his twin brother and Bee Gees bandmate Maurice in 2003.

Robin also has an elder sibling Barry, 65, who was part of The Bee Gees.