Air Malta grounds Gazza

Paul Gascoigne, former England football star, could still be on the island after Air Malta refused to let him board a plane on Sunday because he was under the influence of alcohol.

Sources confirmed that Mr Gascoigne was stopped from entering the airport's passport control section because he had had one drink too many. An Air Malta spokesman confirmed that "a passenger" had been prevented from entering the departure lounge because he was deemed unfit to travel.

"We do this for safety reasons, irrespective of who the person is. It's standard practice for any airline. In such cases the priority is safety and security of the passengers, crew and aircraft," the spokesman said.

"The Air Malta staff immediately detected that this passenger was under the influence and stopped him from going any further," he added.

Mr Gascoigne, in Malta since Wednesday to play in the Italy vs England Legends match at Ta' Qali on Thursday, had asked another person to check in his luggage, a frequent practice among stars.

His attempt to appear sober failed, because an air hostess immediately realised the state he was in and called the airport's security who ordered him to collect his luggage and leave.

He was scheduled to leave the island yesterday afternoon on Air Malta, but sources said he had not embarked on any of the airline's flights.

When contacted by The Times, Paul Reaney, head of media at Toast in the UK, which was responsible for handling the star's itinerary while in Malta, would not comment.

"This is the first time I've heard about it," he said yesterday morning.

When contacted again later in the evening to determine whether Mr Gascoigne had left the island, Mr Reaney insisted that, "I don't know if he left or not".

A top footballer in his day, the 40-year-old has become a permanent fixture in the tabloids for his antics and battle with alcoholism.

Last May he underwent surgery on a perforated stomach ulcer, after falling ill while celebrating his 40th birthday.

The last time a similar incident occurred was last February, when snooker stars Ken Doherty and John Higgins had to be ordered off an Air Malta plane for allegedly turning up for their flight after an all-night drinking session.

An interview with Paul Gascoigne will appear in the next edition of The Sunday Times.