THE North-East woman who ended up dating one of cricket's greatest stars has vehemently denied reports that the couple had split up.

Lingerie model Lynnsey Ward, 19, from Pelton, near Chester-le-Street, County Durham, laughed off a report in a national newspaper that cricket ace Brian Lara had been two-timing her.

Miss Ward, who had been staying with millionaire West Indies star Lara in Australia, said it had been good paying a visit home in County Durham, where her family and friends had comforted her after the newspaper report.

Reports claimed Lara, 31, had chatted up a 20-year-old shop worker in Australia behind Miss Ward's back and called the Australian ten times a day before she finally succumbed to his charms.

The report claimed Miss Ward had flown back to the North-East to be with her mother, after an ensuing bust up.

Last night, Miss Ward said she had returned to England merely to complete some modelling work in London.

She said: "I have spoken to Brian and everything is fine. He wasn't pictured with this woman or anything like that, and I would say to people 'you can't believe all you read in the papers'.

"It has been good to be back home with my mum in the North-East while this horrible report was in the paper."

Miss Ward was working as a receptionist on £10,000 a year before she won a national newspaper contest and became a model.

Lara is said to have tracked her down after he saw her picture in the paper.