Bee Gee Robin Gibb says writing the music for a symphony about the sinking of the Titanic has helped him battle cancer.

The pop legend who has a house just outside Peel was diagnosed with liver cancer last year, but is now said to be recovering.

In an article in today's Sunday Sun newspaper, he says he's had a lifelong fascination with the doomed liner.

Robin and his son RJ, who's also a musician, decided to compose a requiem in order to honour those who died in the tragedy and celebrate the age in which they lived. It took them two years to complete.

In the Sun article the Bee Gee says "working on the Titanic requiem distracted me from my illness to such a degree that I truly believe it might have saved my life"

His work comes as ITV launch a major new four part drama on the Titanic this evening