Britney Spears agreed yesterday to give up the fight for custody of her two sons after a legal battle lasting a year and a half.

Kevin Federline, the troubled pop star's former husband, will have sole legal and physical custody of Sean Preston, two, and Jayden James, 18 months, his lawyer said. 

The couple have agreed that Miss Spears, 26, will have visitation rights that will allow her to see the boys. 

She'll now pay Federline $20,000 a month in child support, an increase from $15,000, according to reports.

Loss: Distraught Britney loses her custody battle

Mark Vincent Kaplan, Federline's lawyer, announced the decision to a U.S. news channel after the agreement was signed by Federline and Miss Spears. The deal will prevent the case from going to trial next month as previously planned.

Mr Kaplan said: 'The case has been settled. The court still has to approve it. All the issues that would have been addressed at trial have been settled. Orders now in place will stay in place.'

Federline, 30, currently has full temporary custody of the children, but the lawyer said he had not intended to fight for sole custody.

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Lost boys: Britney with sons Sean Preston and Jayden James and a court appointed monitor during one of their visits to see their troubled mother

'Kevin was not to get custody,' said Mr Kaplan. 'Kevin's goal was to set up some kind of template so the mother of his children can co-parent.

'He said, "I need to have Britney involved in the co-parenting of the kids but I need there to be a structure".'

The lawyer admitted, however, that his client was 'absolutely delighted' with the result. 'Nobody could have anticipated the turn of events that has occurred,' he said.

Laura Wasser, Miss Spears's lawyer, said the agreement will give her more time with her sons. She added that while Federline still has full custody, the singer may get expanded rights by the end of the year.

Happier times: Kevin Federline and Britney in 2006 during their two year marriage, the couple had two children Sean, 2, and Jayden, 1

Miss Spears initially had joint custody of her sons, but her increasingly eccentric behaviour and sustained drug abuse led to Federline being awarded full temporary custody last October and their mother relegated to court-monitored visits.

In January, she was forcibly hospitalised after police were called when she refused to hand over the children following an organised visit. She was stretchered into an ambulance looking disorientated.

She was sectioned again in a psychiatric unit less than a month later after her mother, Lynne, arranged for a 'smash and grab' raid on Miss Spears's home by police because of fears that her daughter was suicidal.

Miss Spears's father Jamie Spears has taken control of her legal affairs and banned manager Sam Lufti from approaching her.

The former pop princess - who is understood to suffer from bipolar disorder - has made efforts of late to regain control of her personal life and is recording a new album.
Last month, she was granted overnight visitation rights with the children. Until the children turn 18 custody arrangements are subject to change through the courts.

Commenting on the case, Los Angeles family lawyer Lynn Soodnik said: 'Britney will have a better chance of winning more custody once she regains her health. This is just the end of Round One.'