Pop star Duffy has said that she was "raped, drugged and held captive" for several days in a post on her verified Instagram page.

The singer claimed that while the "recovery took time" she is "OK and safe now".

In the post she added that many of her fans "wonder what happened to me, where did I disappear to and why".

The Welsh songstress, famed for hits including 'Mercy', said she was relieved finally to speak out about the experience. 

In 2009, she won three Brit Awards for British Breakthrough, Best British Female and Best British Album for her debut, Rockferry. 

However, she announced a hiatus from music in February 2011.

In the Instagram post, the singer wrote: "Many of you wonder what happened to me, where did I disappear to and why.

"A journalist contacted me, he found a way to reach me and I told him everything this past summer.

"He was kind and it felt so amazing to finally speak.

"The truth is, and please trust me I am ok and safe now, I was raped and drugged and held captive over some days.

"Of course I survived. The recovery took time. There is no light way to say it.

"But I can tell you in the last decade, the thousands and thousands of days I committed to wanting to feel the sunshine in my heart again, the sun does now shine."

She added that she will be "posting a spoken interview" in the coming weeks and invited fans to message her with their questions.