Ronnie Wood threatened with axe

Ronnie Wood faces being axed from the Rolling Stones because of his drinking.

The 61-year-old rocker - who has been treated for alcoholism several times over the last 30 years - has been warned to curb his partying or risk being banned from a proposed autumn tour of America with bandmates Sir Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Charlie Watts.

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A source told Britain's Daily Express newspaper: "All the band have to have a compulsory pre-tour medical to make sure they can get insurance.

"Ronnie failed his medical for the 2002/2003 tour because he was drinking seven times the recommended number of alcohol units a week. He had to spend months drying out at a clinic in Arizona.

"There are worries that could be the case again this time."

Ronnie was most recently treated for his alcohol addiction last August at the Life Works clinic in Surrey, England, following a 10-day drinking binge in Ireland with Russian girlfriend Ekaterina Ivanova, 20.

If he is banned from touring, Ronnie risks losing out on hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The 'Satisfaction' rockers' 'Bigger Bang' world tour, which took place between August 2005 and August 2007, was the highest-grossing of all time, generating $558,255,524.

The group were also named the highest-paid private performers last year, commanding a staggering ￡3.5 million per private show.