Booed Britney flies home

Britney Spears flew back to America today seemingly oblivious to criticism that she ignored hundreds of British fans at the Leicester Square premiere of her film Crossroads.

Some had queued for hours, several had even made improvised banners. But when Britney belatedly turned up she gave the 3,000 fans barely a glance.

Booing and jeering rang out from the crowd as it became plain that she was not interested in seeing them, signing autographs, or posing for pictures. This was an object lesson in how not to promote your film.

But Britney appeared not to know about the problem as she left Heathrow today flanked by two huge minders.

Asked if she had any message for her fans she just gave a big smile and said: "Hi." Wearing a baseball cap and T-shirt, she waited for her flight to Miami in an airline VIP lounge in terminal three.

Only hours before the premiere Britney, 20, had been telling reporters how she keeps her feet on the ground. "When I go home, if I don't make up my bed or wash the dishes I'm in trouble," she said.

Such humility was conspicuously absent at the premiere. An hour late, Britney, wearing a backless halter-neck silver sequined dress, arrived surrounded by giant security guards. Instead of acknowledging the fans, she swept in imperiously, emerging briefly to wave from a balcony before disappearing again.

It was at this point that the booing broke out. Jane Willis, who travelled with her daughter Gemma, 11, from Chingford, said: "Gemma's crying her eyes out because she couldn't see a thing.

"We've been here for five hours. How does Britney expect people to go and see her film if she can't be bothered to say hello to her fans?" Fran Handley, 16, of Uckfield, East Sussex, said she had waited for nearly six hours in the hope of getting an autograph.

She said: "All I saw was a flash of sequin and that was it." Julia Craven, 11, from Bristol, said: "I'm so sad I didn't get to see her, I'm a really big fan."

After the premiere, Britney was whisked away to the aftershow party at the In and Out Club in Piccadilly.

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