Singer dumps football star husband after flying home

SINGER Cheryl Cole has confirmed that she is separating from her footballer husband Ashley Cole.

The split was announced by the Girls Aloud star's spokesman yesterday as she flew back into the UK from Los Angeles, having fled the country when allegations of her husband having cheated on her began to surface.

The announcement follows a fortnight of uncertainty after claims that Chelsea and England star had been unfaithful during the couple's three-and-a-half-year marriage.

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X Factor judge Cheryl, 26, had maintained a dignified silence, but yesterday her spokeswoman said: "Cheryl Cole is separating from her husband Ashley Cole. Cheryl asks the media to respect her privacy during this difficult time. We have no further comment to make."

Last week the star performed at the Brit Awards without her wedding ring, with reports suggesting that she had texted her husband telling him the relationship was over and ordering him out of the their 6m Surrey mansion.

Cheryl's announcement came just four hours after she touched down at Heathrow.

The heartbroken star hid behind large black sunglasses and a trilby hat and, perhaps symbolically, was dressed in black when she flew into Britain at around noon.

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She arrived at her Surrey home in a Mercedes half an hour later.

Ashley, 29, who has been out of action from the Chelsea team because of a broken ankle, left the home a few hours earlier.

Last night publicist Max Clifford said he believed the split might help the singer's career.

He said: "It's obviously sad, but predictable in view of the last week or two. She didn't really have any choice. It must have been a hard decision because clearly she loves him and, in spite of everything, that will have been a very, very painful thing."

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