Page last updated at 08:00 GMT, Wednesday, 7 May 2008 09:00 UK

Spears given more access to sons

Britney Spears
Britney's behaviour became erratic after her divorce from Kevin Federline

A Los Angeles judge has granted Britney Spears greater access to her two sons, the lawyer for her ex-husband Kevin Federline said after a custody hearing.

The lawyer, Mark Vincent Kaplan, said Spears had made progress in getting her personal life back together.

Federline has had full custody of their children since January, when Spears entered a psychiatric hospital.

The pop star's personal life spiralled out of control after her break-up from Federline in 2006.

A constant tail of paparazzi caught her increasingly erratic behaviour.

The 26-year-old shaved her head, beat a car with an umbrella, entered rehab and was twice taken by ambulance to hospital psychiatric units.

She lost custody of two-and-a-half-year-old Sean Preston and Jayden James, 20 months, in October and lost visiting rights in January.

Photographers outside the courthouse
Photographers and camera crews waited for Spears at the courthouse

Mr Federline agreed to occasional supervised visits in February.

Ms Spears's father has temporarily taken over control of the pop star's assets and estate.

"We are so pleased at Britney's progress and we are very appreciative of the court's recognition of this progress," her parents said in a statement on Tuesday.

She is due back in court in July for another progress report.

Dozens of photographers and reporters watched Ms Spears arrive as a front-seat passenger in a white Land Rover.

In recent months Ms Spears has kept a fairly low profile, but she did make an appearance last month on US sitcom How I Met Your Mother.


SEE ALSO
Britney to reprise role in sitcom
29 Apr 08 |  Entertainment
Spears must pay $372K legal bill
18 Apr 08 |  Entertainment
Spears briefly reunited with sons
24 Feb 08 |  Entertainment
Parents fear for Britney's life
07 Feb 08 |  Entertainment
Spears defends parenting skills
01 Nov 07 |  Entertainment
Spears loses custody of children
02 Oct 07 |  Entertainment

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