Spears defends care of baby son

Britney Spears has defended her decision to hold baby Sean Preston on her lap while driving, after pictures of her doing so were published on the internet.

The singer said in a statement that paparazzi were chasing her at the time, and that she was only trying to look after him.

"I instinctively took measures to get my baby and me out of harm's way, but the paparazzi continued to stalk us," she declared. "[It was a] horrifying, frightful encounter".

"Because of a recent incident when I was trapped in my car without my baby by a throng of paparazzi, I was terrified that this time the physically aggressive paparazzi would put both me and my baby in danger," Spears explained. "I love my child and would do anything to protect him."