'Woodgate assault' investigated

Woodgate reportedly denied any wrongdoing

Police are investigating allegations footballer Jonathan Woodgate was involved in an assault in a pub in Middlesbrough.

The £9m England and Newcastle United defender was alleged to have been involved in an incident earlier this week.

A spokesman for Cleveland Police said: "We are investigating an allegation of assault that allegedly took place at the Dickens Inn on Tuesday."

A barmaid who was working at the pub in Southfield Road for part of the night of the alleged attack said she had seen no sign of trouble before she finished work at 2000 BST.

She said Mr Woodgate was in the pub with a group of friends and drank three or four bottles of alcopops.

Broken jaw

A spokesman for Newcastle United said the club was not putting out a statement.

Representatives of sports management company SFX, which represents the footballer were unavailable for comment.

Mr Woodgate was later reported to have denied the allegations, telling Newcastle's Evening Chronicle: "I'm perfectly happy to help with the police in any way they wish. I've nothing to hide. I've done nothing wrong."

Last year, the 23-year-old suffered a broken jaw after he was attacked on a night out drinking with friends in his home town of Middlesbrough.

This season he has played three further times for England, bringing his tally of caps to four, with games against Portugal, Slovakia, and Macedonia.