A spokesperson for Cheryl Cole has announced the star will be separating from Ashley, her husband of three and a half years:

“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.”

The distraught singer arrived in the UK today after spending time in LA, hiding away from the media circus surrounding Ashley’s alleged infidelities. There had been speculation she would split from the Chelsea defender, but it is now official.

In 2008 Ashley was accused of cheating on Cheryl with a hairdresser, and more of his indiscretions have been revealed over the past few weeks. Rumours of explicit text messages and hotel meetings with several women made the front pages of the tabloid newspapers.

Cheryl, who performed her hit Fight For This Love at the Brit Awards last week, flew out to LA directly after her performance without her wedding ring.

PR guru Max Clifford spoke to Sky News following the announcement. "There’s a lot of sympathy for Cheryl… People will feel sorry for her, but just about everyone will say she had no choice because that’s how he is, and you assume that’s how he’ll always be."

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