How Marianne Faithfull endured heartbreaking custody fight of baby son Nicholas & drug demons before death aged 78

MARIANNE Faithfull left the music world in shock with her death yesterday marking the passing of one of Britain’s most iconic and accomplished singers.

But the 78-year-old trailblazer famously had to fight a custody battle and drug demons during her dazzling career.

Marianne skyrocketed to fame in 1964 when she was discovered at just 16-years-old while at a party for the Rolling Stones.

Andrew Loog Oldham would skyrocket her to fame where she soon became recognised as one of the most original British female singer-songwriters.

But Marianne, who was best known for the song As Tears Go By, also endured her fair share of lows during an incredible career.

She bravely battled against drug addiction and lost child custody of her son Nicholas during her whirlwind life in the world of rock 'n' roll.

The rock star muse became Mick Jagger’s lover from 1966 to 1970 after leaving Indica gallery owner John Dunbar.

Dunbar and Marianne had a son together, Nciholas, in November 1965 before she coupled up with the Rolling Stones frontman.

And Marianne's romance with Jagger reportedly helped to inspire the band's classic Sympathy for the Devil.

But their turbulent relationship was shrouded in controversy at the time.

She had affairs with Keith Richards and Brian Jones and made headlines after false rumours police raided Richards’ flat for drugs and allegedly found her naked under a fur bedcover in 1967.

Marianne enjoyed the highs of chart success, before falling victim to alcohol and hard drugs following her split with Jagger.

She attempted suicide by drug overdose on a plane in 1969, before getting divorced and losing custody of her son a year later as her life began to spiral out of control.

A suicide attempt left her in a coma, and she ended up an alcoholic, anorexic heroin addict living in a bomb-damaged building in London's Soho in 1972.

Marianne previously told The Guardian: "My answer to everything was to get as stoned as possible and live on the street, which made me sort of unattractive."

She also looked back on these years in a BBC interview in 2002, describing her addiction as a kind of brutal therapy.

"I was in agony and I healed myself as best I could," she said. "One of the ways was with drugs, because they are painkillers.

She explained: "It was all too much for me.

"I really didn't like my gilded cage."

But time does indeed heal all wounds and Marianne had managed to reconnect with her son Nicholas in the time before her death.

The music icon described him as a "very sensible" financial analyst in a previous interview.

She said: "We went through a lot. But we came through it – and I’m proud that we did that. Because I love having a family.

"I never expected to.”

Marianne's voice - affected by drug abuse and laryngitis - had become permanently rough and lower in pitch following her drug addiction.

But by 1979 she made a successful comeback with her album Broken English.

It saw her nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance.

Marianne, who was always candid about her struggles with an eating disorder and drug use, would go on to create 20 albums.

The sad news was broken yesterday evening by a spokesperson for the legendary artist.

Marianne, who was known for her high profile relationship with The Rolling Stones' lead singer Mick Jagger, passed away surrounded by her family.

They shared a statement which read: "It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of the singer, songwriter and actress Marianne Faithfull.

"Marianne passed away peacefully in London today, in the company of her loving family.

"She will be dearly missed."

While dating the rock icon Marianne also broke into the acting world.

She was a household name with starring roles in hits including I'll Never Forget What's'isname, The Girl on a Motorcycle and Hamlet.

Marianne became a prolific writer, with three books about her life,  Faithfull: An Autobiography, Memories, Dreams & Reflections , and Marianne Faithfull: A Life on Record.

The Government of France also made her a Commandeur of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.