There were further questions raised about Van Morrison's alleged "fourth child" this week.

The baby's mother Gigi Lee, a blonde Texan who the singer says he has never met, was said to be his tour manager and the director of 14 of his companies.

Fans were surprised when a "special announcement" appeared on the publicity-shy musician's website last week.

It read: "Gigi and Van Morrison are proud to announce the birth of their firstborn son George Ivan Morrison III. Little Van, born Dec 28, 2009 - the spitting image of his daddy."

But Van responded on New Year's Eve with a statement saying the claims were 'completely and utterly without foundation' and that he had been the victim of a hoax by a computer hacker.

The statement added: "For the avoidance of all doubt and in the interests of clarity, I am very happily married to Michelle Morrison with whom I have two wonderful children."

On Sunday night he followed this with a statement issued through his solicitor, which read: "There is no truth in the suggestion that I have recently become a father."