Girls Aloud star on racial assault charge

A member of the pop group Girls Aloud was charged yesterday with racially aggravated assault.

A spokeswoman at Staines police station said: "A 19-year-old woman has been charged with an offence of racially aggravated actual bodily harm following an incident at a Guildford nightclub on 11 January.

"Cheryl Tweedy ... has been on police bail following the incident in the early hours of 11 January at The Drink nightclub."

Ms Tweedy was released on bail to appear at South West Surrey magistrates' court in Guildford on 25 March.

She was selected by public voting to join the group Girls Aloud on ITV's Popstars: the Rivals series last year.