Heather Mills shakes a big stick at UK Tabloids

Oct 25, 2006, 18:54 GMT

10/20/2006 - Heather Mills McCartney - Heather Mills McCartney Pictured Arriving at her Solicitors in Central London This Afternoon - Central London - London, England © Photorazzi

Heather Mills is to sue three British newspapers over "false, damaging and immensely upsetting" statements in stories reporting her divorce from Sir Paul McCartney.

Her law firm Mischon de Reya announced yesterday (24.10.06) that legal proceedings have begun against The Daily Mail and the London Evening Standard and action is soon to be taken against The Sun.

A statement from the firm said: "Her time and resources are not infinite. She cannot sue - for now, at least - every single newspaper that has published false, damaging, and immensely upsetting statements about her. She should not thereby be taken to have accepted that these statements are true."

The firm stated it was "entirely false" that Heather had been offered a £30 million settlement from Paul. They said that no offer, of any amount, had been made.

In a statement released last night, Associated Newspapers said: "The stories published by the Daily Mail and the Evening Standard about Heather Mills McCartney's claims in respect of her divorce were obtained by proper methods and in accordance with good journalistic practice."

Both Paul and Heather are seeking divorce on the grounds of the other's unreasonable behaviour after their four year marriage, which left them with a daughter, Beatrice, now three.

Last Tuesday (17.10.06) allegations that the former Beatle had been violent to Heather during their marriage were leaked in the form of official court documents to both The Daily Mail and the Press Association by an anonymous fax.

The fax has now been traced to a newsagent in central London - Drury News, on Drury Lane, a short walk from Mischon de Reya's offices in Holborn as well as the offices of Paul's legal firm.

The documents had been prepared by Heather's legal team and the shop owner recalls a brunette woman, aged between 34 and 45, possibly with a US or Canadian accent, entering the newsagents at around 1.30pm to send the fax.

Meanwhile supermodel Kate Moss, a close friend of Paul's daughter Stella McCartney has said she is prepared to give evidence against Heather - who lost a leg in a road accident in 1993 - who claims that the former Beatle forced her to crawl to the toilet.

A source told The Sun newspaper: "Kate reassured Stella that she knew Heather was a liar because she had seen her hopping around.

"She said she was 'jumping around like a f***ing gazelle' and she is prepared to swear to it, in court if necessary."