Sir Paul McCartney has said he still wakes up every morning feeling a “tinge of sadness” after the death of his first wife Linda.

Speaking on US radio, the former Beatle said he tried to think about the couple's happy memories to overcome the pain.

"I don't wake up every day with a hole in my heart, but there's a tinge of sadness,” he said.

"I mean how do you cope with losing those close to you? I've lost both my parents, lost George, lost John, lost Linda.

"All I tend to do is remember the great stuff and that helps."

Linda died in 1998 following a battle with cancer. The couple, who married in 1969, had four children together.

As previously reported, Sir Paul also appeared to allude to his divorce from second wife, Heather Mills, during his interview.

He admitted he had recently been through "a dark place".

(by Jason Gregory)