NEWCASTLE United star Craig Bellamy has been cautioned by police after a female student claimed she was assaulted, it was revealed last night.

The announcement by Northumbria Police is the latest blow to the tarnished image of football, still reeling from the December trial of Leeds United footballers Jonathan Woodgate and Lee Bowyer.

Welsh international Bellamy, 22, who has been one of the discoveries of the season in the Premiership, was questioned after an allegation of assault was made by the student, following an incident early on Tuesday morning.

The 20-year-old university student claimed that Bellamy attacked her outside Newcastle's Sea nightclub, on the Quayside, while on a night out with United team-mates Carl Cort, Wayne Quinn and England ace Kieron Dyer.

A Northumbria Police spokesman said: "As a result of police inquiries into an allegation of assault made by a 20-year-old student, police have questioned and cautioned a Newcastle United footballer, Craig Bellamy, for the offence of common assault."

Newcastle United chairman Freddy Shepherd said the club had a strict code of conduct which players were expected to adhere to.

''We are aware of the allegations which have been made against certain of our players and shall be conducting our own internal investigation immediately. At present the club has nothing further to say on the matter.''

Cardiff-born Bellamy joined Newcastle from Coventry City at the start of the current season.

He has also played for Norwich City where he made 83 league appearances, scoring 32 goals.

The striker made his debut for Wales against Jamaica in 1998 after previously playing for the national side at under-21 level.

Team-mate Kieron Dyer, 23, who was with him at the Sea nightclub, has been dogged by controversy and warned by the club to improve his behaviour.

The £20m-rated midfielder was disciplined by the club in November last year after he was one of four players who failed to attend a dinner in honour of club president Sir John Hall during a trip to Spain.

He was in trouble again last April when he crashed his Mercedes into the back of a car, leaving its driver injured.

Two weeks earlier, he had been stopped by police for driving at more than 100 mph.

Dyer was recently ruled out of playing until March with a stress fracture of the foot.

The latest controversy follows the high-profile trial of Leeds United footballers Jonathan Woodgate and Lee Bowyer in December.

Bowyer was acquitted of GBH and affray, but Woodgate was found guilty of affray, during a brutal street attack on an Asian student in Leeds.

Chelsea players Jody Morris, 23, and John Terry, 21, and Wimbledon defender Desmond Byrne, 20, are due to appear in court next week charged with causing actual bodily harm and affray following an alleged incident at a club in central London last month