8:42am UK, Friday January 16, 2004

Britney Spears reportedly paid childhood friend Jason Alexander £300,000 to end their short-lived Las Vegas marriage.

The singer handed over the sum - £6,000 for each hour of their two-day union - so he would agree to a quickie divorce, US reports claim.

Britney coughs up

It is also said the couple never even consumated their marriage, staying in separate rooms at the Palms Hotel in Vegas.

Britney herself has already said in an MTV interview that "things got outta hand."

An insider is quoted in US media as saying "Half a million dollars in cash was transferred to the Louisiana account of Jason Alexander hours after they wed.
It is also reported that 22-year-old Britney wrote out a £40,000 cheque to the Palms Casino - which was also passed on as a "sweetener" to Alexander.

It is claimed that Britney's mother Lynne "hit the roof" after hearing about the drink-fuelled 5am wedding.

There was then a frantic search for a lawyer and Alexander was pressured into signing the annulment papers.

Britney also claimed in the MTV interview that she believed in the sanctity of marriage - but would not say if she had any feelings for Alexander.