Newcastle United striker Shola Ameobi was forced to climb down over claims to cops that his house had been burgled.

Ameobi called Northumbria Police to report a number of items had been taken from his home, including his chequebook.

But Ameobi soon realised his £500,000 pad in Jesmond, a leafy suburb of Newcastle, had not be targeted at all - it was just a complete mess.

Police called the incident a "genuine misunderstanding" and a source told the Daily Mirror: "We were told thieves had taken a number of things, the most important one being the chequebook.

"Given what soccer stars earn, that was obviously a matter of great concern. Then we got a call back saying nothing was missing after all.

"Perhaps he had had a party and the place just looked as if it had been burgled."