LONDON: Katie Melua has apologised to fans in Germany after a sore throat forced her to cancel a concert at the end of a disaster-prone trip.

The Closest Thing To Crazy hitmaker kicked off her European tour in early July (09), with two shows scheduled in her native Georgia - her first ever gigs there.

The jaunt was crippled with problems from the start and Melua came close to axing the monumental Georgia dates after battling a slew of obstacles.

In a blog to fans, she writes, "I knew this trip was going to be dramatic when our plane was followed by the most exotic thunder storm which I could see in the distance... In the morning the worst thing happened. I've been waiting to do this gig for five years and I wake up with a tickle in my throat, I tell myself it's just a bit of nerves and I'll be fine by the evening.

"We played a great gig... The gig in Batumi went really well too, we had a small issue of live electricity on stage and I was told not to touch anything but no one got electrocuted - and despite the electric thunder storm at an outside gig 8,000 people showed up!"

But the concerts in her native country proved to be too much of a strain on her vocals and Melua had to pull out of the next stop on her tour, in Mainz, Germany.

Explaining the situation, a sorry Melua adds, "Sadly the two gigs in Georgia completely knackered (tired) my voice out and the next morning I woke up with no voice at all. This was why we had to cancel the gig in Mainz, I am so sorry for those of you who bought tickets and were looking forward to the gig, there was just no way that I could sing."