Katona wins damages over 'prostitute' claims

Kerry Katona has been awarded substantial undisclosed damages over a newspaper report that claimed she worked as a prostitute before joining Atomic Kitten.

A Sunday Mirror story that ran on June 22 alleged that the TV personality's mother Sue Katona would publish a tell-all book which made the revelation.

The tabloid issued an apology yesterday, saying that the claims were "entirely false".

David Price, Katona's lawyer said: "The truth is that Sue Katona has never alleged that the claimant worked as a prostitute in the book or at any other time and such an allegation would be entirely untrue.

"Moreover, Sue Katona has not to date written an autobiography nor does she have a publishing agreement to publish such a book."

Mirror Group Newspapers will pay Katona a five-figure sum and cover her legal costs.