Madonna to 'cocoon' new adopted daughter

Madonna will "cocoon" her new daughter Mercy in Britain over the coming days while the pair bond, it was reported today.

The child, whose controversial adoption was approved in Malawi's highest court on 12 June, has been spotted outside Madonna's townhouse in the Marylebone area of London, looking wide-eyed while being held by a nanny.

The four-year-old child flew into Britain on Friday.

The Sun quoted a friend of the 50-year-old singer's family as saying: "The next few days are all about cocooning Mercy from the world and getting her used to being around her new family."

Madonna's spokeswoman simply said today: "Madonna is in London rehearsing for her upcoming tour."

The singer said previously she was "ecstatic" after her bid to adopt a second child from Malawi was approved.

The pop star appealed after a lower court rejected her application to adopt Chifundo "Mercy" James in April.

The country's highest court announced its decision to allow the adoption, saying that the lower court had failed to take modern realities into account.