The Rolling Stones plan to hit the road in 2011, despite rumours that they had retired from touring altogether.

"Everybody's ready to go out there again," guitarist Keith Richards told BBC 6 Music. "Who said it should stop, and who said when?"

"Only we will know when it comes to an end, with a crashing halt," he added.

The Stones' last world tour earned $558m (£344m), but was reported to be the band's last after several dates were postponed due to ill health.

The European leg of the Bigger Bang tour was delayed in 2006 when Richards had brain surgery, following a widely-reported fall from a coconut tree.

He later said the incident had been exaggerated, telling the NME: "I was sitting on a shrub I happened to fall off it the wrong way".

Speaking at the launch of his new autobiography, Life, the 66-year-old told the BBC the Stones were also gearing up to record new material.

"After these many years working together, we have a lot of unfinished stuff to work on that we had to leave off the last album.

"And knowing Mick, as I do, he's a very prolific writer. I have ideas and we'll put them together in December or January.

"We're looking forward to working."