Band Aid hit by bickering Bono

It was meant to be a re-creation of one of pop's finest moments, where the cream of the British music scene came together in the name of charity.

Instead it turned into a egofuelled squabble between one of rock's elder statesmen and a flashy would-be young pretender.

The 20th anniversary of Band Aid was hit by an alleged row involving U2's lead singer Bono and Justin Hawkins of The Darkness over the new recording of Do They Know It's Christmas?

Hawkins had been given the task of singing one of the most famous lines - 'Well tonight thank God it's them instead of you' - originally sung by Bono, who did not attend yesterday's recording.

Insiders said Hawkins did so with aplomb, leaving Bono's contribution to the project, which he had recorded in Ireland, apparently in doubt.

But last night an angry Bono was said to be on his way to the UK to re-record the line, after his management insisted his version had to be included, even if it was only the performance from 1984.

'Bono's people say he definitely has to do that line,' said one insider. 'Justin's version was brilliant, but they are adamant.'

Hawkins said last night: 'I did it and I did it better than him. So, his management kicked up a stink. It obviously means a lot to him. It's a valuable line for him, he needs it, so I think he's going to fly back and try again to beat me.

'If not, they're going to use the original one he did when he was my age.'

It is not the only controversy prompted by the new recording. Sir Paul McCartney, who plays bass guitar on the song, was banned from singing because he was too old, and artist Damien Hirst's CD cover had to be scrapped because it was too disturbing.

Yesterday only Band Aid founders Sir Bob Geldof and Midge Ure were present from the 1984 line-up as a new generation of pop stars recorded the song at Sir George Martin's studio in Hampstead, North London.