DAVID and Victoria Beckham have settled their High Court bid to try to ban a book based on revelations by their ex-bodyguard, Bolton minder Mark Niblett.

Mr Niblett, aged 40, had given his "kiss and tell" story to Princess Diana biographer Andrew Morton for a book on the private lives of singer Posh Spice and Manchester United footballer Becks.

But the couple's lawyer said the superstars remain unhappy about some of the book's contents.

Earlier, the Beckhams lawyer, Michael Tugendhat QC, told the London court: "We say this is a very bad case of disloyalty and breach of confidentiality on the part of a former employee, very bad indeed, and not very much better on the part of the author and publisher."

Mr Niblett was bodyguard to the world-famous pair at their Cheshire mansion until they parted company in May.

The court was told he has been barred from disclosing any further details about the couple and their baby son, Brooklyn, and was not at the hearing because his role in the preparation of the book was now over.

Mr Morton argued that the material he did use was either not confidential or was already in the public domain because of the amount of "self-generated publicity" by the Beckhams.

This was disputed by the couple, who wanted further deletions in the 60,000 word manuscript in addition to those already negotiated.