Andy Hallett, the actor who played Lorne in hit US TV show Angel, has died, aged just 33.

Hallet died from heart failure following a five-year battle against heart disease, which cut short his promising acting career.

He landed his first break after he was dragged on stage at a concert to sing with Patti LaBelle, resulting in a performance kickstarted his career as a singer-songwriter.

Hallett was spotted during a revue at a Los Angeles nightclub by Buffy The Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon, who created the demon character Lorne in the show's spin-off Angel just for him.

The star appeared in 76 episodes before series ended in 2004.

He died on Sunday at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, with his father Dave Hallett by his side.