Celine Dion has pulled out of a concert in her native Canada because she feels bullied by local residents and the press.

The My Heart Will Go On singer, 39, had been due to play in the city of Halifax, North America on 23 August next year.

But her husband and manager Rene Angelil says the gig has been scrapped after critics of the star made her feel unwelcome.

He says, "I'm gonna tell you something and I hope everyone is listening. Don't try to find any reasons for cancelling the concert. There's only one reason and you know what it is.

"I'm not saying that all people in Halifax are negative, but... this is a question of feeling. We're humans. If you would go to a city and you read day after day… 'This is not the place for you, you shouldn't have come, I expected someone else,' I don't know how you would feel about going there."

The news comes after Dion was criticised by Halifax Daily News columnist David Rodenhiser for a "letdown" gig earlier this month.