Friends take sides in McCartney divorce battle

Friends of Paul McCartney and his estranged wife Heather Mills have become publicly embroiled in the warring pair's divorce battle.Last night the ex-Beatle said he would "vigorously" defend Heather's allegations in court but that he would maintain his silence until then.Today friends and former acquaintances of McCartney were defending him.Publicist Max Clifford said: "If this was an attempt by anybody to damage the reputation of Paul McCartney, I believe that it will fail."Heather was unpopular to start with and my belief is that she is even more unpopular now."Mr Clifford said Sir Paul was a "very private" man, adding: "He would hate to have his private life splashed all over the national press."He's been a superstar for 40-plus years and we've hardly known anything about his private life. The fact that this is personal, and on top of that it's so critical, that would make it even more traumatic for him."I've heard that he's been absolutely beside himself in the last 24 hours."Potentially it's very damaging ... fortunately for him, very few people seem to be believing it."He said refuting the allegations in court was the "most effective" way of maintaining Sir Paul's reputation.Heather's claims, apparently prepared by her lawyers as an answer to Sir Paul's divorce petition, were leaked to the media.Mr Clifford said: "I'm told that there are pages of the legal document which haven't been seen, that haven't been revealed. Who knows what might be coming out?"DJ and comic Peter Price, a friend of the McCartney family, told Sky News: "Paul was a very private man and will stay a private man, that's how he is. That causes a lot of problems for him."Heather's defenders include Lisa Norris, who met the pair while she was working as a TV producer on an awards show.She wrote in today's Daily Mail newspaper: "It seems to me that Heather's only crime is to be a strong, attractive woman who has made the most of what life has thrown at her."She has raised millions for amputees throughout the world, yet her name is mud. Which other disabled celebrity would attract such bile?"Time and again Heather has plucked triumph from the jaws of disaster. I'm sure she'll do it again and win a huge divorce settlement."I do hope so. God knows he can afford it and I reckon, if the truth were known, she's earned it."