David and Victoria Beckham have a home in Alderley Edge, Cheshire

West Midlands police have confirmed a 25-year-old man was stopped, but say it is not force policy to reveal his identity.

A spokesman for Beckham said he was unaware of the details of the incident, but confirmed that he understood the midfielder had been stopped by police.

The player had been returning to north-west England from a charity event when he was pulled over, he added.

A Manchester United spokesman refused to comment, saying the incident was not related to football.

Ban overturned

In December 1999, Beckham won an appeal against an eight-month driving ban imposed after he was convicted of driving his �150,000 Ferrari at 76mph in a 50mph zone.

He said he was trying to escape a paparazzi photographer who had tailed him for 10 miles from his home in Alderley Edge, Cheshire.

Judge Barry Woodward, at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court, returned Beckham's driving licence, ruling there were "special circumstances" that had caused him to break the speed limit.

But he upheld the footballer's speeding conviction.

The star, who at the time already had 10 points on his licence, had been fined �800 and ordered to pay �190 costs in addition to the driving ban.

It is not known what car Beckham was driving at the time of the incident at 2345 GMT on Wednesday, but as well as the Ferrari, he owns a Range Rover and a Porsche.

It is believed he was returning to his Alderley Edge home where he lives with his Spice Girl wife Victoria and their baby son Brooklyn.