Chelsea and England footballer Ashley Cole has been arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly.

Mr Cole was held after swearing at police officers outside west London's The Collection bar and restaurant, BBC crime reporter Ben Ando said.

Police said a 28-year-old man was held in Brompton Road, South Kensington, at about 0215 GMT.

He was taken to a police station and given an £80 fixed penalty notice and released at about 0530 GMT on Thursday.

No further action will be taken, a Metropolitan Police spokesman said.

Our correspondent said: "Cole was held after swearing repeatedly at police and refusing to calm down after emerging from The Collection in South Kensington at around 2am."

The nightclub is about 1.3 miles (2km) from Chelsea's Stamford Bridge stadium.

Nightclub manager Burim Maraj said he was aware of the incident but added: "We have very little at this stage - I hope to be fully informed this afternoon."

A spokesman for Chelsea FC declined to comment on the incident.

Prior to his arrest, Cole had joined Chelsea's first team squad and more than 300 charity workers, celebrities and supporters at a fundraising event for two childrens' charities.

His wife Cheryl, singer with Girls Aloud, is currently climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa for Comic Relief.

 

Hate that guy with all my heart.

 

Since when do you climb mountains for comic relief?.........I thought it was about standup comedy

 

What? You can get arrested for getting Hoff'd and telling coppers to piss off?

 

So he was hoffed and mouthed off ... people love tabloid stories

 

Footballers drink? say it 'aint so...



next you're going to tell me that footballers dont do lines of blow of strippers ass'....

 

He's been a twat and will continue to be a twat. He even treated this wrong:

 

Just learning how to be a Chelsea player, nothing wrong with that.

His wife is hot.

 

that's his wife? oh mama

 

He just needs a night out with Lamps and Terry now.