The songwriter, born in Paisley near Glasgow, had been gravely ill with a kidney condition.

Rafferty began his career busking and formed folk band The Humblebums with Billy Connolly, before co-writing the hit Stuck In The Middle With You in 1972 while with the band Stealers Wheel.

However his main claim to fame was the multi-million-selling 1978 hit Baker Street, which earned him an estimated £80,000 a year in royalties.

Rafferty was admitted to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital in November ...