Britney taken to hospital

Britney was previously admitted after refusing to surrender her sons

Britney Spears has been taken to hospital in an ambulance for the second time this month.

It has been claimed that she has been sectioned over fears for her mental health.

In the US it is called a 'mental evaluation hold' meaning a doctor or psychiatrist considers her a danger to herself and others.

A UCLA medical centre spokesman refused to confirm she had been admitted there.

Carefully planned

A police officer said that the pop star was being taken to hospital to "get help".

Unlike the previous occasion where she was followed by paparazzi, it looked like her pickup was more carefully planned.

She was escorted by police, with around 12 of them on motorbikes and several helicopters hovering overhead.

Britney is pictured arriving at a court for a custody hearing last year

Britney's mum Lynn and her boyfriend Adnan Ghalib are said to have gone to the hospital together, driving behind the ambulance.

When Britney's mum left the hospital the paparazzi asked her if Britney was alright to which she replied "yeah".

It is reported that it was Britney's psychiatrist who pushed for the singer to be taken into care.

Fragile state

Some US television networks have said that the singer tried to commit suicide after not sleeping for more than 24 hours.

Recently Britney has been frequently seen in a fragile state.

Earlier in the week she was photographed sitting on a curb holding her dog and crying after a row with her manager.

At the beginning of the month Britney was admitted to hospital after refusing to surrender her two sons in a stand-off with the police.

She lost custody of Sean Preston, two, and Jayden James, who is one, to her ex husband Kevin Federline and she has been denied visitation rights.