London: Disgraced British rocker Ian Watkins, who was a singer in the band Lostprophets before being jailed over child sexual abuse, died after being attacked in prison on Saturday, UK media reported.

Watkins, 48, was serving a 29-year-long jail sentence after being convicted in December 2013 for several serious child sex crimes, including the attempted rape of a baby.

He died after being attacked by another inmate in the prison in Wakefield, northern England, where he was held, the PA news agency said, citing sources.

Local police said they were called to the prison on Saturday morning after an assault was reported.

"Emergency services attended and the man was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later," West Yorkshire Police said in a statement.

The singer, whose band sold millions of albums around the world, was also taken to the hospital in 2023 after being attacked, with UK media reporting he had been taken hostage by other inmates.

Lostprophets, who formed in 1997 and had a string of gold albums in the United States and platinum albums in Britain, disbanded shortly after charges were made against Watkins. (AFP)