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Author Nicholas Evans, who wrote The Horse Whisperer, has died following a heart attack at the age of 72, his representatives have confirmed.

A statement from United Agents said they were "very sad to announce the sudden death of the celebrated author".

Published in 1995, The Horse Whisperer sold 15 million copies around the world and has been translated into 40 languages.

It was made into a movie starring Robert Redford, released in 1998.

Evans' other works include The Brave, The Loop, The Divide and The Smoke Jumper.

Charlie King, managing director of Little, Brown Book Group "Nicholas Evans was a masterful storyteller and one of the most successful, best-loved novelists of his generation.

"His era-defining bestseller The Horse Whisperer and his four subsequent novels have been enjoyed by millions of readers around the world. He will be greatly missed, but his words will live on for years to come."

Born in 1950 in Worcestershire, Evans was educated at Bromsgrove School before reading law at Oxford.

During the 1970s, he worked as a journalist on the Evening Chronicle in Newcastle-upon-Tyne before moving into broadcasting. He specialised in US politics and foreign affairs, including covering the war in Beirut.

By the 1980s, Evans was working at London Weekend Television, producing films on Sir Laurence Olivier, Francis Bacon and David Hockney for The South Bank Show.

After developing his skills as a screenwriter with projects starring Dame Peggy Ashcroft, Sir Ian Holm and more, he began work on his debut novel, The Horse Whisperer, which was published in 1995.

The Horse Whisperer follows a complex and talented trainer who is hired to help an injured teenager and her horse back to health after a severe injury.

The story was adapted for the big screen by Hollywood star Robert Redford, who directed and produced the film and also starred as the title character, with Scarlett Johansson playing young rider Grace MacLean in her breakout role.