Heather 'to quit Britain after divorce'

Heather Mills' father has predicted she will leave Britain after her divorce from Sir Paul McCartney - taking daughter Beatrice with her.

The couple are thought to be close to reaching a settlement at their closed-doors hearing at the High Court. She is said to be inching towards a deal but the former Beatle apparently wants his soon-to-be-ex to be gagged from spilling secrets about their marriage.

Miss Mills' father, Mark, said he believes his daughter will move to France or America with the couple's daughter Beatrice, four, when the divorce is finalised.

"She won't stay in this country. She knows everybody hates her and she does not care," he said.

"I think she's very low at the moment and would leap at the chance to get away from it all and take her daughter Bea with her. I think she'll go abroad and then just slowly fade away into obscurity."

Mr Mills, 66, who lives in Washington, Tyne and Wear, said he fears his daughter will be "torn to shreds" by Sir Paul's lawyers during the divorce hearing.

© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.