Jane Birkin has suffered a minor stroke.

Jane Birkin

Jane Birkin

The 74-year-old singer-and-actress has cancelled her appearance at the American Film Festival in Deauville, France, in order to recover after falling ill, her family have announced.

Jane "suffered a minor form of stroke a few days ago" but is on the mend.

The statement added: "She is doing well."

The 'Death on the Nile' actress has been due to appear at the festival to discuss 'Jane', a documentary about her made by her daughter Charlotte Gainsbourg.

Jane recently admitted she found it hard working on the documentary with Charlotte - whose father was the star's former partner, the late Serge Gainsbourg - and they took a break from filming for "a year or two" while she got to grips with the idea of answering intimate questions.

She said: “I started and I wanted to stop. I didn’t know what she wanted to get at. I didn’t like the questions. So we took a year or two off. Then we met in New York and I realised she wasn’t getting at anything. She needed answers to certain questions… I hope she got the answers she wanted.”

The 'Je T'aime... Moi Non Plus' singer also insisted women should never feel "over the hill" when they get older.

She said: “I think women should never feel over the hill. Just look at Helen Mirren! She gives one hope every day. Just more and more beautiful, more attractive, more fascinating to look at with every year that passes. I don’t know how she does it but I’m glad she does!”

And Jane admitted she was at her happiest in her 40s and 50s.

She said: “I cut off my hair. I really learnt to love singing, making films. I had great friends. I look at my daughters now and I think they must be having the time of their lives!”