How's the rehab, Pete?

He is the rock star who has made his name as much for his legendary drug use and fling with Kate Moss as for his talent. Friends and family of the ex-Libertines frontman Pete Doherty have repeatedly spoken of their fears for his health, and urged him to stop his wild living.

Judging by his behaviour last night, he has yet to heed their advice.

Doherty, 25, was celebrating after learning that his old band The Libertines and new outfit Babyshambles will both compete for best live band at this month's NME Awards.

The news comes, however, as he faces attacks over his continued drug use and blossoming romance with Moss.

The singer kicked off the evening's celebrations with a frenetic appearance fronting Babyshambles at a charity gig in aid of the Tsunami appeal. Doherty hurled himself into the crowd at the Garage venue in Islington. Minutes after coming off stage his mood had changed. He left the venue with a woman friend - whose looks and behaviour drew comparisons with Courtney Love - and was not pleased when he ran headlong into a gang of waiting photographers.

"He seemed to turn into a complete lunatic," said one onlooker. "He just ran at them, shouting." Seconds later, a bemused-looking Doherty was bundled into a waiting car by two bouncers.

The performance will not endear the singer to Moss's friends and family, who fear the heroin-addicted singer is "bad news". The pair first got together last month, at Moss's 31st birthday party. Doherty has told friends he thinks he has found the love of his life.

Doherty's inability to come off drugs led to him being kicked out of The Libertines. He pledged to go into rehab - but quit after three days. At the weekend, footage of him taking heroin emerged, taken by documentary maker Max Carlish, 38. He said: "I want to shock Pete into getting help. He's got many friends like me who are terrified about what he is doing."