by Ted Sherman

Created on: March 13, 2007   Last Updated: May 09, 2007

The latest loot settlement for the divorced Heather Mills is said to be $56 million (that's bucks not pounds) in cash and property she'll take away from her marriage to 66-year-old ex-Beatle Sir Paul McCartney. Agents, lawyers and other hangers-on for each of the combatants will not confirm the figure yet. The marriage, counting the frequent and highly-publicized fights and separations, lasted less than five years.

As the bitterness deepened after the first two somewhat blissful years, there have been accusations tossed back and forth about excess spending by Heather, her public humiliation by Sir Paul and infidelity by both. Although separation and the call for divorce was made public more than a year ago, unresolved haggling about the cash settlement for Heather has kept the gossip columnists and paparazzi furiously busy feeding on the couple's troubles.

So, if the reports are true, Linda will take away about $11 million for each of the years of the marriage. Not quite as much as baseball star Barry Bonds makes, but it certainly can count as a bank-clearing home run blast for the ex-model with the artificial leg. And from the moment the cash is hers, you can be sure the wealthy divorcee will never have to experience a hard day's night.

The two parents will also share custody of their 3-year-old daughter, Beatrice. No plans have been made yet to permit the then 80-year-old Sir Paul to attend little Beatrice's high school graduation in June 2020. But if he's still alive, he should have enough money left to rent a wheelchair and hire a nurse.

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