Cole in fight over Page 3 girl

England star Joe Cole today protested his innocence after being beaten up by a man in a jealous rage over a Page Three girl.

Cole was said to be "getting close" to 19-year-old Keeley Hazell during a late-night party at her home when he was attacked.

The Chelsea midfielder was so badly roughed-up during the assault that he fled the house through a window without his shoes, shirt, mobile phone or wallet.

Bloodied and bruised Cole then ran to the nearest minicab office where drivers initially failed to recognise him because of his dishevelled state.

Today he attempted to fend off accusations that he had been chatting up Miss Hazell. A spokesman for Cole, who earns £60,000 a week, insisted the player had had no relationship with her and remained committed to his long-term girlfriend.

The incident happened on Saturday after the Blues' 2-1 FA Cup Third Round home win over Huddersfield Town. Cole, Chelsea captain John Terry and Bobby Zamora and Anton Ferdinand of West Ham, went to the West End Embassy club.

They linked up with Page Three girls, including former hairdresser Miss Hazell, Lauren Pope, Nikkala and Nicola T Cole. Later Cole, Ferdinand and others carried on the party at Miss Hazell's semi-detached home in Grove Park .

According to guests Cole and Miss Hazell had been getting on well. In a 2004 interview she said: "I'd love to open the paper and see myself - and hopefully I'd get to meet Joe Cole."

Some witnesses said Cole had collapsed on a bed when another guest decided to attack him. One guest said: "Joe and Keeley were getting on well but another admirer went ballistic and had Joe for breakfast."

Another partygoer said: "Poor Joe did nothing to provoke the attack and certainly did not throw any punches. "