The Script frontman Danny O’Donoghue paused a performance during a Pink concert in Sunderland as he made an emotional statement on the death of bandmate Mark Sheehan.

Sheehan, the Irish band’s guitarist, who formed the ban alongside drummer O’Donoghue and drummer Glen Power died in hospital on Friday April 14.

A statement on the band’s social media pages said: “Much loved husband, father, brother, band mate and friend Mark Sheehan passed away today in hospital after a brief illness.

Read more: The Script guitarist Mark Sheehan dies after brief illness

“The family and group ask fans to respect their privacy at this tragic time.”

Taking a moment from their performance supporting Pink on her Summer Carnival tour in Sunderland at the weekend O’Donoghue made am emotional statement to fans.

The told the Stadium of Light: “We lost our bandmate Mark Sheehan two months ago.

“He was looking forward to coming back out to do these shows, it’s something he was really looking forward to doing.

“I have to say the energy that we are getting from you guys from all the fans, all the messages, all the texts have been absolutely overwhelming.

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“I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart while we are out here with you guys. Thank you so much.

“We don’t have fans, we have family. And we need our family now more than ever.”

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He then dedicated their next song, If You Could See Me Now, to their former band member.

The guitarist was married to Rina Sheehan and they had three children together.

It came as Pink headlined the Stadium of Light for two sell-out shows on over the weekend as she returned to Sunderland for the first time since 2010.