Joss Stone has denied rumours that she dumped her partner because of public outcry at their age difference.

It was revealed this week that the 18-year-old had split from her long-term boyfriend Beau Dozier.

Twenty-five year-old Dozier got together with Stone when she was only 17. Their home state California's age of consent is 18, so their age difference provoked outcry.

It was suggested that the scandal would damage the soul singer's image of innocence. An industry insider speculated that this led firstly to Stone losing a modelling contract and to her leaving Dozier.

"Her fans, and more importantly, their mothers, did not like the fact that she was having under-age sex with an older man," the insider told the Mail on Sunday. "It cost her the Gap job and now it has probably cost her the relationship."

A friend of the couple also talked to the Mail, explaining: "People are saying it was her who broke things off. She is still very young and the controversy over their relationship destroyed it."

Stone has insisted it was a mutual decision and for personal reasons. She explained: "The reason we split is because we realised, after two years, that the relationship had become a friendship more than anything else."

"There was no drama, no screaming row, I didn't cheat on him and he didn't cheat on me," continued the star. "I just woke up one day and realised I didn't want to be in the relationship any more."