Singer Leona Lewis has cancelled a visit to Germany today as she recovers from being punched in the head at a book signing for fans yesterday.

The 24-year-old singer and former X Factor winner was signing copies of her autobiography ‘Dreams’ at Waterstone’s Piccadilly in London yesterday afternoon, when a man in line suddenly attacked Lewis leaving her ’shaken’ and in tears.

Security quickly surrounded the thug and police arrested the 29-year-old man at the scene. Lewis emerged from the store in tears and called the experience a ‘horrible shock’. In a statement she said: ‘Thank you so much for your support, it is truly overwhelming. Yesterday was a horrible shock and left me extremely hurt and upset. I’m very sorry to those I wasn’t able to meet at the signing. Thank you again for all of the lovely messages. Love you all.’

Lewis was taken to see a doctor as a precaution after being struck, but needed no further treatment.

It’s unknown why the man, who waited in line for 5 hours, attacked Lewis. A shocked Leona screamed and cried, “Oh my God” as the thug caught her on the temple with a right hook. Shocked fans could only look on in horror as she clutched her head before bursting into tears.

Five security guards jumped on the 6ft 5in attacker and pinned him to the ground until police arrived. Leona’s furious boyfriend Lou Al-Chamaa, who was with her at the signing, tried to confront the warped fan but was held back.

A witness said her attacker yelled: ‘I love you, Leona’ – and she screamed back: ‘I don’t love you.’ A another onlooker said, ‘The worst thing is that the man was grinning – he thought it was funny.’