A British lap dancer has described how tormented Heath Ledger poured out his woes to her just a month before he died.

The 24-year-old, named only as Katie, spent the night with Ledger after meeting him on a night out in London in Decemeber, and says the actor was clearly a troubled man.

She tells The People, “He told me 'My life is f***ing madness - it should be easy but it's not. I don't know why I can't sort it out.’”

Katie adds that the source of Ledger’s anxiety seemed to be his failed relationship with his Brokeback Mountain co-star Michelle Williams, and their two-year-old daughter Matilda.

“As we lay on the bed he told me that he just wants to be with Michelle and Matilda and have more children and be happy,” Katie says.

“He said his daughter was the most important thing on the planet. I asked if I could see a picture of her but he didn't respond.

"It was easy to see how depressed he was when I asked him what he was working on and again he said 'f***ing madness.’

“He wanted to get back with his girlfriend and how he had messed everything up with her and they argued over stupid things.

"I joked that he should pay me for a counselling session and he found that funny, saying 'Yeah I need to see someone.’”

Katie adds that Ledger snorted cocaine throughout their time together.

Police in New York, where the actor’s body was found this week, are awaiting further tests to ascertain the cause of his death.