A cousin of tragic singing star Lena Zavaroni stabbed her lover to death during a row, a court heard.

The High Court in Glasgow was told that as Allan Osbourne lay bleeding to death Darleen Zavaroni tried to staunch the blood flow as she listened to phone instructions from a 999 operator.

Zavaroni, 24, pleaded guilty to killing Osbourne, 27, in the home they shared at Gleniffer View, Clydebank, on August 10 last year.

She had originally been charged with murder but that was reduced to culpable homicide.

Her court appearance was the latest tragic chapter for the Zavaroni family from Rothesay.

Darleen's cousin Lena became a star aged 10 when she won Opportunity Knocks.

But after battling anorexia from the age of 13, Lena, weighing just five stones, she died aged 35 from pneumonia after neurosurgery in a bid to cure depression.

Her mum, Hilda, died 10 years earlier from a tranquilliser overdose.

Zavaroni had made previous claims of Osbourne threatening her with a knife and cutting her, and trying to strangle her.

Just seven days before Osbourne died, Zavaroni alleged he assaulted her when she was holding their baby, and it had hit its head off a door frame.

On the night of his death Mr Osbourne was in his dressing gown when a row erupted. Zavaroni, hiding a large kitchen knife behind her back, approached him, and stabbed her 5ft 11in partner as he got up.

The death blow was an unusual injury as it severed an artery which is normally protected by the collarbone.

Judge Lord Turnbull deferred sentence for background reports until next month.