Buy anything nice in LA, Heather?

Heather Mills took a break from meetings with her divorce lawyers in Los Angeles to enjoy a spot of retail therapy in Beverly Hills.

Ms Mills visited stores including Ralph Lauren and Giorgio Armani in a spending spree that is certain to enrage Sir Paul McCartney as they enter battle over what slice of the former Beatle's fortune his estranged wife will get in a multi-millionpound divorce settlement.

In a strapless top, jeans and what looked like a pair of Stella McCartney sunglasses, she was photographed at the wheel of a purple convertible as she embarked on her shopping trip.

Ms Mills, accompanied by two younger men, appeared preoccupied during yesterday's outing. She has a lot to think about during her visit to the US.

When the couple announced their divorce this year, they promised to make it amicable, not least for the sake of their two-year-old daughter, Beatrice.

But as Ms Mills flew into Los Angeles yesterday there was speculation that Sir Paul may now be pursued through the US courts, which - despite recent legal rulings in London which have been favourable to wives - tend to offer the highest payouts. Wives there routinely receive half the communal property.

It emerged yesterday that Ms Mills had met her US lawyer - whose identity is closely guarded - in London last week. There will inevitably be questions about the purpose of her trip to California, where Sir Paul has a home.

Ms Mills has hired Anthony Julius, the lawyer who secured Princess Diana's £17 million divorce, to head her legal team, while Sir Paul is using Fiona Shackleton, who was Prince Charles's divorce lawyer.

Ms Mills, 38, is understood to have rejected Sir Paul's offer of £30million for a "quickie" divorce. Sir Paul, 64, then appeared to catch his wife off-guard by quickly lodging his petition for divorce in London in an attempt to head off an action in America.

This week, Ms Mills lodged her counter-claim in the High Court in London even though Mr Julius is on holiday. Whether she is now able to petition for divorce in the US is unclear.