'Black eye' Kay Burley may face legal action after grabbing photographer by the throat

Sky News presenter Kay Burley could face legal action after she allegedly grabbed a photographer by the neck.

Friends of Kirsty Wigglesworth say she is taking advice from lawyers amid claims that her throat was injured in what her bosses described as ‘an unprovoked and inexcusable attack’.

The pair clashed during a frantic media scrum when Naomi Campbell arrived at court on Friday to admit assaulting two police officers in an air rage attack at Heathrow Airport.

Kay Burley sporting a black eye the day after the media scrum outside the Naomi Campbell hearing

Miss Burley, 46, reacted after being hit in the cheek by a camera during a scuffle as about 100 journalists tried to get a view of the supermodel outside Uxbridge Magistrates Court in West London.

Pictures taken after the fracas showed large red marks around Miss Wigglesworth’s throat.

The award-winning photographer with international news agency The Associated Press was yesterday in tears as a friend took her to hospital from her West London home.

She was wearing an orange scarf around her neck as she left her £250,000 flat on the top floor of a converted terraced house.

The moment Kay Burley and Kirsty Wigglesworth clashed outside the courtroom

Miss Wigglesworth said: ‘They’ve got all the TV footage and it’s quite obvious from that what has happened. I’m going to hospital now and I haven’t had any sleep. I’ve been advised not to comment any further.’

Her friend said: ‘Kirsty’s very upset and I’m just about to take her to hospital to have her neck examined. You’ve seen all the footage and she’s been advised not to comment until she’s sought legal advice.’

Miss Wigglesworth’s work includes official portraits of Princes William and Harry and she is well-respected.

Kirsty Wigglesworth's neck, pictured after her encounter with Kay Burley

Meanwhile, Miss Burley appeared with a black eye when enjoying a day racing at Royal Ascot.

Wearing a black dress and hat, she was also sporting a large bruise to the right side of her face.

She spent several hours at the private Clementine Churchill Hospital in Harrow on Friday after the altercation.

The Sky News anchor had been walking next to Campbell as the model emerged from her court case.

During the scrum, a camera accidentally hit Miss Burley on her right cheek.

She then grabbed Miss Wigglesworth around the throat in the middle of the astonished Press pack.

Other photographers who saw the incident said Miss Wigglesworth was left with bruises to her throat.

As she left her £1.75million home in Harrow, North West London, Miss Burley was unwilling to say anything about the fight.

On Friday she said: ‘As far as I am aware I did not put my hands around her neck. I was hit in the face with a camera. Like anyone else would do I just put my hands up.

‘If I did anything else, I apologise.’

A Sky News spokesman added: 'Kay Burley was provoked by a hard hit to the face with a camera. 

'She has already said that if she did any more than put her hands up, then she apologises.'

The Associated Press said: ‘Kirsty is absolutely sure that she’s not the person who bumped Ms Burley with a camera. She was the victim of an unprovoked and inexcusable attack.’