Clapton rocks the Revenue

ROCK star Eric Clapton has awarded himself £11m in back pay - and settled a £10m tax bill despite a sharp drop in sales at his holding company.

Accounts just filed for his Marshbrook business show what a difference a new record and live appearances can make to his fortunes. When his last album, Reptile, came out in 2001 and was backed by a world tour, turnover hit £27m. In the year to March 2003, it was just £3.5m.

But Clapton, thought to be worth £120m, was able to pay the tax bill as well as pocketing £11m in unclaimed salary from previous years. His new album, Me and Mr Johnson, is due for release on his 59th birthday on 30 March.

Clapton became a CBE in the New Year Honours List and lives with his wife Melia and their three-year-old daughter Julie Rose at homes in Chelsea, the South of France and Antigua.