Clive Burr: Iron Maiden pays tribute to 'wonderful' drummer who has died at 56

Iron Maiden today paid tribute to former drummer Clive Burr, who has died aged 56 after a long battle with Multiple Sclerosis.

Burr had been in the heavy metal band from 1979 to 1982 and drummed on their first three albums, Iron Maiden, Killers and The Number Of The Beast.

He had been suffering from multiple sclerosis for many years and reportedly died peacefully in his sleep at home.

Paying tribute, bassist Steve Harris said: "This is terribly sad news. Clive was a very old friend of all of us. He was a wonderful person and an amazing drummer who made a valuable contribution to Maiden in the early days when we were starting out. This is a sad day for everyone in the band and those around him and our thoughts and condolences are with his partner Mimi and family at this time."

Vocalist Bruce Dickinson - who was also in the band Samson with Burr before he joined Iron Maiden in 1981 - added: "I first met Clive when he was leaving Samson and joining Iron Maiden.

"He was a great guy and a man who really lived his life to the full. Even during the darkest days of his M.S., Clive never lost his sense of humour or irreverence. This is a terribly sad day and all our thoughts are with Mimi and the family."

Treating Burr's condition had left him in debt, but the band staged concerts to raise money for the Clive Burr MS Trust Fund, which had made over £235,000 by 2007 to assist him and other sufferers, and helped greatly improve the quality of his life.