Rooney will give the damages to charity

Manchester United and England footballer Wayne Rooney has accepted
damages of £100,000 from the publishers of the Sun and the News of
the World.

The newspapers had falsely reported the striker slapped his fiancee
Coleen McLoughlin during a row at a nightclub in Cheshire in April
last year.

Rooney strenuously denied the story and will donate the damages to
charity.

At the High Court the newspapers' publishers, News Group Newspapers
Ltd, accepted the allegations were false.

Rooney and Ms McLoughlin were not present at Tuesday's hearing in
front of Mr Justice Eady.


Rooney and Ms McLoughlin were not present at the hearing
The 20-year-old player's solicitors, Schillings, said he intended to
donate the damages to charity.

The damages reflected "the gravity of the libels", they added.

A statement from the two newspapers said: "With only 58 days to the
start of The World Cup, The Sun and The News of The World are pleased
to have reached a settlement with Wayne Rooney.

"We can now put this case behind us and focus on a great tournament.

"We wish him and the England team every success in Germany and look
forward to welcoming them back with the World Cup trophy."