Bob Geldof has spoken of the 'boundless and bottomless grief' of losing his eldest daughter Peaches almost six years ago.

The 25-year-old died of an accidental heroin overdose in April 2014. She was married to singer Tom Cohen with two young children. Her mother, Paula Yates, had died in the same way 14 years earlier.

Paula Yates and Michael Hutchence with her Children
Fred Duval//Getty Images
Peaches with her mum Paula Yates, sisters Pixie and Fifi and Michael Hutchence in 1996

In two interviews published over the weekend, the musician said the grief hits him regularly and unexpectedly – and he has been reminded of the days following Peaches death after attending the funeral of a friend's son recently.

He told The Mail On Sunday's Event magazine: 'It surges forward, this involuntary subconscious flood of emotion inhabits you, utterly.

'I'll be at the traffic lights and I start to weep and I think, "You're weeping". And I say, "Let it go. Let it happen." Then I begin to sob, racked sobs. I weep then I sob.

'Then I wise up and look around to check that nobody's taking pictures or filming...Once you understand the nature of this because it is boundless and it is bottomless. The grief and the abyss is infinite.'

Live 8 London - Backstage Studio
Live 8//Getty Images
Bob with Peaches and Paul McCartney

He added that time does not heal but 'accommodates' – and his friends have brought him comfort and support.

'I remember the lads coming around and just occasionally catching each other’s eye,' he explained to Irish comedian Tommy Tiernan. 'Nobody really said anything but when they’d all gone I felt they had given me a bit of relief.'

Geldof also revealed Peaches had 'always dabbled [in drugs] and that the panic was always there'. In fact, she had been in rehab not long before the overdose.

He said: 'By 2013 we'd been through it. The family had gone to Utah to a rehab place there. She was doing pretty well and we all flew out, because you have to.

'But then she ran away from there. I tried to stop her at the door but there's nothing you can do. She was free to leave.'

He described his daughter as 'such a clever, sweet, eccentric girl'.

If you need support, call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123.

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