With no UK number one hit singles in 20 years, perhaps Chris de Burgh should consider turning his hand to something else. Or, to put it more accurately, his 'healing hands'.

Because the 57-year-old singer claims that he has the power to heal the sick using only the power of touch.

In an interview with Gloria Hunniford on BBC1's Heaven and Earth show, the Lady In Red singer insisted that he had cured a man suffering from a swollen ankle by simply touching the affected area.

He said: "I have found myself able to cure people with my hands.

"I met someone in the West Indies who was not able to walk. I put my hands on him and he was able to get up.

"I know the tabloids will get excited by this so I try to play it down."

Although this is not the first time that de Burgh has spoken of his belief in faith healing, these latest comments have been branded 'dangerous' and 'potentially harmful' by experts.

Dr Shawn Treweek, from the charity organisation Sense About Science, said: "No-one should be promoting therapies, alternative or otherwise, based on a singular case without the support of a very rigorous, randomised controlled trial.

"I am very sceptical about Mr de Burgh's comments because he has nothing to base his claims on - where is the proof?

"While the act of placing your hand on someone's knee or ankle is not, in itself, going to cause damage, there is a more worrying potential for harm if it means that people with serious injury will want to see him rather than a doctor."

Terry Sanderson, vice-President of the National Secular Society also hit out at de Burgh's comments, saying: "If Chris thinks he can heal people simply by laying his hands on them, then clearly he is deluded.

"From our point of view, he has no alternative medicine qualifications and is fooling himself as well as others if he is making these sort of claims.

But although they are undoubtedly a load of tosh, what is alarming is that as a public figure, there are people who will take notice of his views.

If someone who is seriously ill decides to go to him instead of using conventional medicine, then it becomes seriously dangerous.

Chris has every right to his own beliefs but in his position he should be extremely careful about saying these kind of things."

The singer, who is currently in Germany promoting his latest album The Storyman, was defended, however, by 66-year-old presenter Miss Hunniford.

The popular broadcaster, a long-term friend of the Irish-based star, said: "Chris wasn't making any fantastic claims other than he felt he had some sort of an ability to help cure people.

"I've known him for a long time but this was the first time he has ever said he can do anything like this.

"He said he had discovered his ability of laying on the hands because he has always worked with his hands and has developed a great sensitivity.

"I don't know what to make of it but there is a lot of faith healing and some people appear to have the healing power.

"I asked him if he had a queue of people out his door looking to be healed but he said he only used it on rare occasions."

This is not the first time that de Burgh has professed to having special healing powers.

In 1993 he revealed that he had warned his wife, Diane, not to move her spine if she should break her neck in a riding accident.

The following day Diane, the inspiration for Lady In Red, fell off her horse and adhered to his advice, saving herself from paralysis.

And five years ago he apparently helped cure former Liverpool defender Markus Babbel of Guillain-BarrČ syndrome, a rare form of neuritis which paralyses parts of the body.

The singer visited him in hospital where he lit a crystal lamp and passed his hands over the player's legs.

The footballer later claimed that de Burgh's visit helped him move his toes more easily and returned to action the following season.

Last night de Burgh declined to comment any further on his claims.