Britney plans return to rehab - as comeback single tops download charts

Troubled Britney Spears plans to check into rehab once again in a last ditch attempt to regain control of her spiralling personal life - and custody of her children.

The pop star hopes the move will reverse a judge's decision to grant full custody of her two sons to ex-husband Kevin Federline.

However, Britney did not do herself any favours when she skipped yesterday's custody hearing - to go for a coffee with a friend.

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The source says: "She said she is willing to do whatever it takes to get her boys back, including giving rehab a serious go this time."

It will be the second time this year that Britney has checked into Eric Clapton's Crossroads Centre in the Caribbean. She visited for little more than 24 hours in February. Britney also spent a month at Promises rehab in Malibu.

The source added: "Britney's team has been working closely with her attorneys to figure out a way to get the babies back from Kevin.

"She is surrendering herself to rehab for treatment for depression and alcohol."

A judge announced yesterday that Britney was only to visit her sons under the supervision of a social worker and while she did little to win support by skipping the hearing to visit Starbucks with a friend, sources insist she is still determined to win back her children.

In contrast, Kevin Federline arrived at court on time, dressed in a smart navy suit. He will continue to have full custody of Sean Preston, two, and Jayden James, one, until the next hearing on October 26.

But there was good news for her pop comeback with the news that her new single Gimme More had topped the download chart and reached number three in the singles chart.

Britney temporarily lost custody of her sons because she couldn't produce a valid California driver's licence at Monday's custody hearing.

She was also accused of missing a mandatory random drug test.

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She eventually applied for and was issued with a temporary licence from the California Department of Motor Vehicles, an agency spokesman confirmed.

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"She has fulfilled her requirements for a California driver's licence," said the DMV's Mike Marando.

"Ms Spears actually took and passed a written test in April," said Marando.

"She was fingerprinted and photographed yesterday. She will be issued a formal licence in the mail soon."

But Britney, who has been acting as if the laws of California do not apply to her, still received special treatment as she stayed in her car while a DMV employee came out to her with her temporary documents.

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Meanwhile, her sons have been spending time with their father at his mansion in Tarzana, California.

Sean Preston and Jayden were out with with a nanny who pushed them along in matching car strollers.

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Britney had handed the boys over to the bodyguards of her ex-husband two days before she was required to.

Less than a fortnight ago, judge Scott Gordon had ordered Britney to observe a driving ban, as she did not have a licence.

He also ruled that she and Federline must not drink or take drugs up to 12 hours before looking after the boys, and must attend parenting classes and twice-weekly drug tests.

Britney was then spotted out drinking several nights in a row, and according to reports in the U.S., refused to take the drug tests or classes.

She was then seen back behind the wheel with her sons in the back seat.

Lawyers for Kevin Federline are said to have called an emergency summit with Judge Gordon, who ordered him to take over the care of the youngsters.

Her lawyer Sorrell Trope told People magazine in the U.S.: "We were not able to prove compliance with what the judge ordered.

"The judge ordered that by 10am on Monday morning both parties should show valid California driving licences. I have been unable to produce evidence of that."

In a previous hearing, Judge Gordon criticised the singer's 'habitual, frequent and continuous use' of drink and drugs.

Last month her former bodyguard, Tony Barretto, 27, told how Britney had been allegedly "out of control" on drugs while caring for her children.

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He added: "Her home is no place for children to be raised."

Miss Spears's manager and former lawyer also resigned recently, following her erratic behaviour.

She is facing a possible jail term for a hit-and-run smash in August, when she was caught driving without a licence.

Britney made a widely-ridiculed comeback performance at the MTV video music awards earlier this year.

She appeared disoriented, forgot the lyrics to her song and performed a lacklustre dance routine.

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It was a far cry from the energetic performances which helped her become the eight bestselling female artist in U.S. history.

Miss Spears has been in the spotlight since the age of 11, when she was a Mouseketeer on Disney's Mickey Mouse Club. Scroll down for more...

She became a worldwide star in 1999 with the single Baby One More Time and in 2002 was ranked the most powerful celebrity in the world by Forbes Magazine. But her wholesome image soon began to crumble.

In 2003, she courted controversy by kissing Madonna on stage at the MTV Video Music awards and a year later married her high school sweetheart on the spur of the moment.

The marriage was quickly annulled, but just nine months later she walked down the aisle with Federline, one of her back-up dancers.

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The couple separated after little more than two years and divorce papers were filed in December last year.

In the meantime, Miss Spears had been photographed wearing miniskirts with no underwear.

And child welfare authorities paid her a visit after she was photographed driving a car with her infant son on her lap.

Despite spending several stints in rehab, Miss Spears has showed no signs of slowing down.

Friends of the Louisiana-born performer are worried about her mental state and fear the latest blow in her custody battle could push her over the edge.