TV and radio presenter Zoe Ball has been the victim of a stalker, according to a report.

The BBC Radio One DJ has been forced to take out a court injunction against an obsessed fan who has plagued her with phone messages and letters, The Sunday Mirror says.

The tabloid adds that the stalker has signed an undertaking to stay away from the presenter after writing a chilling letter to her saying that a terrible tragedy would happen if she did not respond.

According to the report, 29-year-old Ms Ball has been the victim of the stalker for about a year and took out the court injunction as a last resort.

The paper alleges that the 26-year-old fan - who believed Ms Ball was attracted to him - bombarded her management office with phone messages and once cornered her at the Radio One building.

Career break

Ms Ball is leaving her top-rated Radio 1 breakfast show in April 2000 to take an extended break.

The former children's presenter, who married pop star Norman Cook last year, is unlikely to be looking for other work.

She has made no secret of her intentions to have children.

"I'm looking forward to extra time with Norman and planning a family," she has said.

Sara Cox, one of the presenters of Channel 4's The Big Breakfast, will replace her on the Radio 1 breakfast show.