Queen guitarist Brian May has opened up about his ongoing recovery from a heart attack he suffered earlier this year.

Back in May, May told fans that he had been “very near death” when he was hospitalised after doctors discovered that three arteries in his heart “were congested and in danger of blocking the supply of blood” to his heart.

Now, in a new interview with The Times, May has opened up further about the health-scare, saying that his recovery still feels like “a long climb back.”

He added: “I’ve had complications due to the drugs I’m on, one of which was a stomach explosion that nearly killed me.

“The heart attack was a symbol of an arterial disease, but I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I don’t have high cholesterol and I was exercising through the tour, so why did it happen? At least I now have a heart that is working far better than it was.”

Back in the summer, May addressed the outpouring of support he received from fans following news of his illness.

“I’m overwhelmed and really, more than touched by the torrent of love and support that’s come back at me after all the incredible coverage in the press, I really didn’t expect all that,” May said at the time.

“As you can see I’m OK… my email box and everything else is so full of incredible messages, I will never ever be able to thank you all individually, so let me please at least thank you here. It’s just unbelievable.”

May added: “This is going to sound really strange, but I sort of feel like I died and yet I was able to come to the funeral and see all the tributes. I often think that at funerals, all these people come and say these wonderful things about the person that’s gone but he or she can’t hear it.

“I’m lucky, I got to hear it – so my life is complete. Yeah, I’m sorry if that sounds weird, but I can’t compare it with anything.”

Queen were set to head out on a huge UK and European tour this summer, but it has been rescheduled to 2021 due to coronavirus.