Actress Dame Elizabeth Taylor has told fans her heart surgery “went off perfectly”, adding that “it’s like having a brand new ticker”.

The 77-year-old gave the update on her Twitter page, where she announced on Tuesday she would be undergoing an operation to repair “my leaky valve”.

The Oscar-winning actress added: “Thank you for your prayers and good wishes. I know they all helped.”

The star was diagnosed with congestive heart failure five years ago.

The surgery involved implanting a clip to prevent blood leaking back into the heart through the mitral valve.

On Wednesday the actress denied newspaper reports she had diabetes, calling it “a total lie”.

Dame Elizabeth has had a number of health problems in recent years.

In 1995, she had a hip replacement and, two years later, had surgery to remove a brain tumour.

She has the brittle bone disease osteoporosis, has broken her back five times and frequently uses a wheelchair in her rare public appearances.

Dame Elizabeth won best actress Oscars for Butterfield 8 in 1961 and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? in 1967.

Via news.bbc.co.uk