Doctors examine 'confused' Heche

Anne Heche (left), with Ellen DeGeneres in happier times

American actress Anne Heche has been examined in hospital after being found wandering in a disturbed mental state.

Heche - the former partner of comedy actress Ellen DeGeneres - apparently wandered up to the front door of a private house in Cantua Creek in Fresno County, California, and made strange comments to the residents.

Police were summoned to the scene, along with an ambulance, and Heche was taken to the nearby University Medical Centre.

Doctors examining the 31-year-old actress described her condition as "shaken and confused", but did not admit her.

Heche was not on a flight to Canada she had booked

Heche's film credits include I Know What You Did Last Summer, Donnie Brasco and Six Days Seven Nights alongside Harrison Ford.

She was just as well-known for her relationship with DeGeneres, the star of comedy series Ellen.

But Hollywood's most famous same-sex couple announced they had split up on Saturday.

Hospital records reveal Heche was discharged after spending two hours at the medical centre.

A spokeswoman would not confirm or deny whether Heche had later been re-admitted under a different name.

However, she was not on a pre-booked flight to Canada, where she is due to begin shooting a film, on Monday morning.

Love split

Neither Heche's, nor DeGeneres' representatives have commented on the reports of the incident.

The pair released a statement to a New York newspaper saying they had decided to amicably end their 3½ year relationship.

According to some US press sources, no third party has been involved with, or linked to the breakup.

DeGeneres became the first openly gay actress to play a lead role in a TV sitcom, after coming out in 1997 in an episode of her show Ellen.

Ratings collapse

However, following the coming-out episode, Ellen's ratings suffered a disastrous collapse, and the show was cancelled less than a year later.

Heche was also criticised for continuing to play heterosexual love interest roles in films.

Recently, Heche turned her attention to directing, overseeing the shooting of If These Walls Could Talk II, which starred DeGeneres and Sharon Stone as a lesbian couple planning to adopt a baby.

DeGeneres returned to stand-up comedy this year, with one of her recent three-month tours being filmed by Heche.