FOOTBALLING legend George Best has taken refuge in Liphook this week at the Champneys Forest Mere luxury health spa.

The troubled former footballer arrived at Forest Mere on Friday, accompanied by his agent Philip Hughes, and checked into the £200-a-night retreat after returning from his much publicised holiday in Malta.

Mr Hughes told The Herald: "I took George to Forest Mere myself, he is staying for some privacy, rest and to recoup. He will be there as long as he wants. It's really up to George."

And a spokesman for Forest Mere added: "George will probably be there for about three weeks. He is having treatment and working out, and trying to get his head together."

He had gone on holiday to Malta with his 31-year-old wife Alex, but she left the hotel following newspaper reports at the weekend that he was having an affair.

He was pictured drinking wine alone at the hotel, sparking renewed fears that he may have damaged his new liver, less than a year after his life-saving transplant.

During an earlier relapse in his battle with alcohol last month, the beleaguered celebrity was arrested on suspicion of assault at a pub in Walton-on-the-Hill, but was later released without charge.

He is hoping to escape the glare of publicity by taking refuge at the exclusive Liphook health spa.

Mr Hughes said he needed privacy: "That's why he has gone to the health spa and not home" to Lower Kingswood in Surrey 35 miles up the road from Liphook.