Ian Mitchell death: Bay City Rollers star dies aged 62

Ian Mitchell, bassist for The Bay City Rollers, has died aged 62.

The band – known for hits including "Bye Bye Baby" and "I Only Wanna Be With You" – confirmed the news in a statement posted to their official Facebook page, via the band’s guitarist Scott “Woody” Woods.

“Very sad, sad news about Ian Mitchell,” Woods wrote. ”We’d like to send our love and condolences to Wendy and all Ian’s family and friends…you are in our hearts.

“I have many fond memories of Ian not only in the BCR days but also when we played together in the 80’s with The Passengers…great guys and great days! You will sorely be missed Ian…”

The cause of Mitchell’s death has not been disclosed.

Mitchell replaced bassist Alan Longmuir in 1976, aged 17, at a time when the strain of major fame was taking its toll on the band.

Mitchell, who was born in Ireland, was the first non-Scottish member of the group known as “the tartan teen sensations from Edinburgh”.

With Mitchell, The Bay City Rollers released their album Dedication in 1976, and achieved a US No 12 with a cover of the Dusty Springfield song, “I Only Want to Be With You”.

He was later replaced by Pat McGlynn, before Longmuir, whose brother Derek served as drummer for the band, returned in 1978.

Longmuir died aged 70 in 2018.