Liz celebrates paternity victory

Elizabeth Hurley celebrated her paternity battle victory and a potential £100 million payout by going out on the town with supermodel friend Elle Macpherson.

The pair's night out, which began shortly after DNA tests proved former lover Steve Bing was the father of her child, got off to a bad start, however.

Less than 90 minutes after multi-millionaire Bing's London lawyers issued a short statement confirming he is the father of Damian Charles - an announcement which could mean a massive payout for Hurley - the actress, 37, sped off from her Chelsea home with her friend.

But as Macpherson, 39, accelerated away her dark blue Range Rover lost control and bounced off a parked Peugeot on the opposite side of the road, before she regained control and eventually lost a pack of chasing paparazzi.

The pair returned to Hurley's house off Fulham Road after a meal and drinks at around 10pm.

Meanwhile, in California at around the same time, film producer Bing, 36 , emerged alone from his Hollywood mansion for a 45-minute jog. Like Hurley, he refused to answer questions about the DNA tests proving he is the biological father of her child.

Bing has previously said that he might not be the father since he did not have an "exclusive" relationship with the actress.

If Hurley decides to pursue her ex-lover for child maintenance under Californian law, which entitles a child to 30 per cent of the father's earnings, she could win a minimum of £20 million.

She could also win a third of his personal assets - he is heir to a £300 million property fortune - if she can access them. But because much of his assets are tied up with his father's, they could prove complicated for Hurley to untangle. She has always maintained that Bing was the father and has emerged with her reputation intact from mudslinging, which included false claims that Friends star Matthew Perry could be the father. The test results also pour scorn over Bing's claims that the pair were not in an exclusive relationship at the time when Damian Charles was conceived.

Bing began legal proceedings in April, two weeks after Damian was born, a move Hurley branded "astonishing".

It is believed Bing's father, a New York property tycoon, may have pressured his son into having the DNA tests as he was unhappy with the way his son had behaved. Bing's spokesman, Sue Stapley, issued a brief statement last night, which read: "Recently conducted tests have shown that Steve Bing is the biological father of Elizabeth Hurley's son, Damian Charles Hurley."

Stapley also told the Evening Standard: "All future arrangements, including financial and access will, hopefully, be agreed in private between them. Steve started the proceedings to establish who was the father, as he believed they had not been in an exclusive relationship. He has always said if he was proved to be the father he would make generous provision and wish to be involved in the child's upbringing."

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