THE mother of Girls Aloud star Cheryl Tweedy leapt to her defence yesterday, saying: "My girl is no racist."

Cheryl, 19, was held in a police cell for ten hours after allegedly punching nightclub toilet attendant Sophie Amogbokpa in the face.

Mature student Sophie, 39, claimed the Pop Rivals beauty screamed racist abuse at her as she was dragged away.

The Popstars finalist rang her mother, Joan Callaghan, after being bailed by police in Surrey on Saturday morning.

Joan, 43, of Heaton, Newcastle, said: "Cheryl is devastated. She is so upset and worried about her future.

"What has really devastated her and me are the accusations that she is a racist.

"She has had coloured boyfriends and has friends who are black. To call her a racist is really out of order.

"There is no doubt she has been involved in an incident but she told me it was in self defence and I believe her."

"There is nothing Cheryl likes more than going out dancing. She came back to Newcastle for two weeks over Christmas and we went clubbing together. Cheryl is a young, quiet, sensitive girl who has never been in any trouble in her life.

"Since the band formed and the Sound of the Underground single released it has been like a whirlwind but there has been jealousy towards the girls."

Record bosses yesterday admitted the fight at the Drink Club, in Guildford took place but denied there was any racial element and said Tweedy's actions were in self-defence.

A spokesman for the group's record company, Polydor Records, said: ''Cheryl obviously deeply regrets getting into the fight but when the terminology that she was supposed to have used came out yesterday she was shocked and absolutely distraught.

''She is not racist in any way and was very upset by the suggestion that she is that has been made by this other person."

The spokesman said Cheryl had spent the day of the incident recording songs for the band's debut album. She went to The Drink club in Guildford with fellow band member Nicola Roberts.