Former Thin Lizzy guitarist Gary Moore dies in Spain aged 58.

According to the Irish Times website, Moore was found dead in his hotel room in Estepona early in the morning. A postmortem was due to be carried out in the nearby city of Malaga, the newspaper added.

A Foreign Office (Ministry) spokeswoman in London said: "We are aware (of Moore's death), and we stand ready to provide consular assistance. We are very sorry for his family's loss."

Moore was just 16 years old when he moved from Belfast to Dublin in 1969 to join Skid Row, which featured Phil Lynott as lead singer.

Moore was later brought into Irish rock band Thin Lizzy, best known for hit songs like "Whiskey in the Jar" and "The Boys Are Back in Town."

He replaced the departing Eric Bell, who told the BBC: "I still can't believe it. He was so robust, he wasn't a rock casualty, he was a healthy guy. He was a superb player and a dedicated musician."

As well as playing with Thin Lizzy for several periods, Moore worked separately with Lynott, who died in 1986 from drug-related complications.

Moore also worked with a number of top artists, including George Harrison.

Opening of the 35th Montreux Jazz Festival on the shores of Lake Leman on the Swiss Riviera in 2001, Moore told Reuters that doing his own thing has always been his best recipe of success.

"The kind of music I play is classic music anyway. It doesn't have anything to do with changing fashions or anything. It's just something that's always been there and I've always come back to it. Even when I've done other things, there's always been an element of blues in them. I don't really try to catch up with trends and fashions. I think when you do that you've had it anyway, you just have to do your own thing."