On a lazy day out trawling the designer stores of Nice, two-year-old Damian Hurley is already a big handful for his mother, Liz.

Clearly showing signs of taking after his 6ft 4in father Steve Bing, the not-so-little toddler reaches his mother's waist - and still gets around in a pushchair.

Fortunately Miss Hurley had help from friends Lulu, Sir Elton John and his partner David Furnish.

Damian showed great patience with his mother's love of clothes shopping. Chanel and Louis Vuitton were only two of many stop-offs.

Sir Elton tired of the shopping before Damian, splitting off from the group with his bodyguard. But Damian stuck close to his mother, clutching her leg as they negotiated the crowds.

Miss Hurley, 39, was left juggling her son's teddy bear, drinking mug and her mobile phone, although her companions helped look after him. Lulu even helped amuse the boy by swinging him through the air.

One onlooker said: 'It was very sweet to see Elizabeth and Lulu swinging him along. They all looked as though they were clearly enjoying their holidays.' Miss Hurley and Lulu are guests of Sir Elton at his villa in St Tropez, although there has been no sign of Miss Hurley's boyfriend, Arun Nayar.

The millionaire, who met Miss Hurley in December 2002, spends time looking after his business in India and the couple are separated for weeks at a time.

Mr Bing long denied he was the father of Damian, who was conceived during a brief relationship with Miss Hurley. She makes a point of being financially independent of the U.S. tycoon, refusing maintenance for Damian from him.