Jamaican singer Millie Small has died after suffering a stroke, aged 73. 

Small was most famous for her hit single ‘My Boy Lollipop,' recorded in 1964 when she was just 17 years-old. 

It sold over six million copies and became number one in the UK and number two in the US.  

The founder of Island Records Chris Blackwell announced the news and described Small as a ‘really special’ singer. 

He told the Jamaica Observer: "I would say she's the person who took ska international because it was her first hit record.

“It became a hit pretty much everywhere in the world. I went with her around the world because each of the territories wanted her to turn up and do TV shows and such, and it was just incredible how she handled it.”

Small, at the age of 12, was entered into a talent competition by her parents who worked on a sugar plantain in Jamaica at the time. 

The contest was named ‘The Vere John’s Opportunity Hour’ and she came second, before going on to join forces with reggae artist Roy Panton to record a song called ‘We’ll Meet'.

In 2016 she told the Express: "Some people may not know that Rod Stewart played the harmonica on that song and he got it right on the first take; although he was just starting out like me, I knew he was going to be a big success.

“My life seemed very normal to me – even though I was only 17, I took fame in its stride.”