Rooney prostitutes offer an apology

Jenny Thompson, 21, and Helen Wood, 23, both gave interviews to Sunday newspapers following allegations they had sex with the England star while his wife was pregnant.

The pair spoke out after Rooney escaped a hostile reception from his former fans after being left out of Manchester United's side to face Everton on Saturday amid concern over expected taunts.

Rooney and his wife, who spent the past week staying with her parents, have faced a week of torrid speculation and newspaper headlines following lurid claims about the striker's private life.

The couple have appealed for privacy, releasing a statement on Friday saying the "last six days have been extremely painful for us and for our families".

The issuing of a joint statement suggests the pair are going to try to patch up their marriage despite public expressions of anger by some members of Coleen's family who criticised the footballer after the allegations first broke.

Speaking to the News of the World, Ms Thompson, who has claimed she regularly slept with Rooney, apologised to Coleen, mother of 10-month-old Kai, saying: "I'm very sorry for my part in this."

She continued: "It's a horrible thing to learn your husband has cheated on you. Particularly when you're pregnant. I have so much sympathy for her.

"They have been together since they were so young but she is going to question everything now, their entire relationship.

"If it was me I would be devastated. It would tear me apart."

Ms Thompson, whose parents Hamish and Dana offered their "most sincere apologies" to Coleen last week, also spoke of the effect of the lurid headlines on her family.

She said: "I have the best family in the world. It has been devastating for them. I feel very ashamed."

Helen Wood, 23, told Coleen in the Sunday Mirror: "I wish this had never happened. I'm sorry for all the hurt that you've been put through. It was a mistake. I can't apologise enough. I'm sorry."

The England striker was absent on Saturday as his team-mates arrived at Goodison Park before kick-off, his name left off the team sheet.

Rooney, a boyhood Evertonian, was branded a "Judas" after leaving the club in acrimony, to go to United. And with the allegations about his private life, he was set to face the wrath and ridicule of 40,000 home fans. At least one protest was spoken of by Everton fans, with one campaign planning to throw black bin bags onto the pitch – in a reference to Rooney being thrown out of his house by his wife and taking his belongings in a bin bag.

There were also suggestions they would sing "No Woman, no Kai", to the tune of Bob Marleys No Woman no Cry in reference to his week-long separation from his wife and young son.

The crisis facing the footballer comes as reports claimed sponsor Coca-Cola was reconsidering its lucrative deal with him following concerns the allegations could tarnish its family image.