Athens  - British band Depeche Mode cancelled an Athens concert on Wednesday following the illness of lead singer David Gahan, reports said.

The gig had already been postponed from Tuesday to Wednesday, after Gahan was rushed to hospital Tuesday.

More than 30,000 fans had packed the Terra Vibe concert park at Malakasa, located near Athens on Tuesday night to hear the band play new wave music and post-punk when organisers said Gahan had fallen ill in his dressing room.

Concert organisers finally called off the performance for Wednesday evening, saying Gahan, the lead vocalist since the band's start-up in Basildon, Essex in the 80's, was still not well enough to appear on stage.

Greece's state television broadcaster NET reported Gahan to be suffering from gasto-intestinal disease.

Hundreds of fans protested peacefully in central Athens Wednesday, demanding their money back.