'Possessed' singer Houston gouges out eye

R&B singer Houston has gouged out his own eye after believing he had been possessed by the devil.

The star, real name Houston Summers IV, was found in his London hotel room Thursday night and was promptly rushed to hospital.

"[He] found himself in the midst of a spiritual battle against the evil that runs rampant in the entertainment industry," explained Houston's publicist in a statement issued yesterday.

Marco Powell, Houston's bodyguard, discovered him shortly after the incident. "I went to check on him before going to bed and I saw blood on the floor," said Powell. "Houston was lying on his bed with a towel over his face and I removed the towel to find his eye hanging out. He said he had to get the devil off of his back and that's the only way he could kill the devil."

The Los Angeles native was raised with strict Christian values and as a result found himself "constantly at odds with the temptations that come with success in the music business," the statement added.

Houston is now back recuperating in LA. The condition of his possessed eye is unknown.