Oscar winning actress Liza Minnelli has broken her back following a freak accident with her dogs.

The 68-year-old was at home when one of her pets jumped up at her leading to her falling awkwardly to the ground.

At first Liza, the daughter of Judy Garland, didn't feel there was a problem until an X-ray showed she had broken her spine. She has been bed-ridden since.

As a result she was forced to miss her friend Joan Rivers' funeral on Sunday and is now due to undergo surgery next week.

She told a US paper: "I couldn't go to Joan's funeral, I desperately wanted to because I loved her but I couldn't go because I can't walk. I'm in bed.

"Going in for surgery.

"I broke my lower back.

"Remember a few years ago I was in a wheelchair because I had trouble with my spine? They operated on it then.

(Image: Colin Braley)

"Well, now, again. They'll have to fuse it.

"I was picking up my dogs and they jumped and I got twisted and fell.

"I thought it's nothing. But it wasn't nothing. It became something.

"After an X-ray, seems I busted it and have to have it fused. The operation's next week."