The ashes of the late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain were not stolen from the home of his widow Courtney Love, Gigwise can reveal.

In June, the News of the World newspaper claimed the ashes had been taken from Love's Hollywood home along with thousands of pounds worth of clothes and jewellery.

But her publicist, Alan Nierob, has told Gigwise that Cobain's remains “were never taken” and said the story had been “erroneously reported”.

Mr Nierob responded after a German artist claimed she would smoke Cobain's ashes as part of an exhibition at Berlin's Wagner + Partner gallery later this month.

A statement for the exhibition said Natascha Stellmach had  “acquired” Cobain's ashes by a “kind of magic” and would smoke them in order to free Cobain “into the ether from the media circus”.

Speaking exclusively to Gigwise, Mr Nierob said Ms Stellmach's and the exhibition's claims are a “complete fabrication in every way.”

Cobain committed suicide in 1994 at the age of 27. His death, the result of a single shotgun wound, has become the subject of fascination among fans and conspiractists.