Beckham bust-up

The lavish celebrations featured a foot-long chocolate cake in the shape of the Buddha, a top DJ and even a sprinkling of rose petals on the floor.

But for all the meticulous arrangements made by his wife Victoria, David Beckham's 30th birthday party didn't pass off entirely as planned.

The £250,000, celebrity-studded event was marred by a row between David's father Ted Beckham and Victoria's father Tony Adams.

Halfway through the night at Madrid's fashionable Buddha Bar, Mr Adams told Beckham Snr he needed to sort his son out, following revelations about further problems in the couple's marriage.

'Victoria's dad went up to David's and started having a go at him about David's behaviour at about 2.30am,' said a partygoer who overheard the row.

'He said that he was worried about Victoria - that she is all over the place - and it was down to the way David has been behaving. He is clearly very unhappy about things and felt he had to get it out.

'Ted was quick to hit back, though. He accused Tony of being a "hanger on" and said that Victoria was hysterical.

'He said Tony should stay out of what was going on in David and Victoria's marriage.

A lot of angry words were exchanged and they were pointing their fingers at each other.

'In the end Ted's brother pulled him away but he looked so angry that he was practically shaking.'

Mrs Beckham's family have been heavily involved in creating the Beckham 'brand' while her husband's have remained away from the limelight.

While several people heard the argument, it is not thought the couple were aware it was going on. It is not the first time the two men, both 56, have clashed. They rowed at the Christening of their grandsons Brooklyn and Romeo just before Christmas.

The latest argument follows newspaper revelations from the Beckhams' former nanny Abbie Gibson.

She revealed how Beckham had threatened to split from his wife while she was pregnant with their third son Cruz, how he called her a 'f****** bitch' and said she believed he had an affair with her friend, beautician Dannielle Heath.