The 62-year-old musician was suffering from concussion after falling out of a coconut tree in Fiji during a break between concerts.

Richards, known for such hits as Tumbling Dice and Fool to Cry, was climbing a palm at the luxurious Wakaya Club resort when he slipped. “Picking coconuts is quite common on the island,” said a fellow holidaymaker at the resort. “It’s just that Keith had a bit of an accident coming down.”

Richards was apparently collecting coconuts with fellow band member Ronnie Wood. The guitarist, who has survived years of drug use, was said to be “a bit disorientated” after falling 15ft and banging his head. He was flown from the club to Nausori airport near Suva, the capital of Fiji, where he was treated at a private hospital on Thursday.

He was then transferred to Ascot hospital in Auckland, New Zealand, where he has remained with his wife Patti Hansen by his side.

Ronnie Wood was uninjured and is believed to have returned to Los Angeles with his wife.

Richards was visiting Fiji after playing a concert in New Zealand on April 18. The Wakaya Club is a magnet for celebrities looking for relaxation or a little emotional rescue. Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman and George Clooney are all believed to have stayed there.

Situated on a private island in the archipelago, the resort has 30 beaches, lush plants, deer, wild horses and rare birds. It can cost upwards of £1,000 a night.

The guitarist has been unlucky in the past during Rolling Stones tours. In 1998 the band had to delay a tour after he fell off a ladder while trying to retrieve a book in the library of his Connecticut mansion.

He damaged his ribs and chest but “had not been drinking”, according to his agent.

Another tour was put back when Richards cut his hand on a broken guitar string and the wound became infected.

The Stones’ next concert in the current world tour is at the Olympic stadium in Barcelona on May 27.

It is scheduled to be followed by 34 more across Europe. Last night it was not clear whether Richards’ fall would affect the schedule.

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