Irish soccer legend George Best was arrested for assault amid claims he had started drinking again.
Best, who has been warned that a single drink could kill him, was last seen in a hotel bar in Surrey, England shortly before closing time last night.
Earlier in the day the 57-year-old former Manchester United and Northern Ireland star had been arrested, but then released, on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm, police sources said.
Another man, believed to be a news photographer, aged 31, was also arrested and released following the incident just before 5.30 p.m.
The Chequers Hotel in the affluent village of Walton on the Hill, in Tadworth, became a media circus as news of Best's arrest spread.
At the same time Best's wife, Alex, told a Sunday newspaper that her husband was "on a mission to self-destruct".
Last year Best pledged that he had abandoned drink forever after undergoing a liver transplant when he was said to have only weeks left to live. Critics at the time said there were more deserving cases for the NHS operation.
His wife Alex, 30, told the Mail on Sunday: "The last week has been hell. He seems to be on a mission to self-destruct and it is getting worse.
"I am sure George didn't want to start drinking again."
PA