Britney loses custody of kids

Britney Spears has lost custody of her children

A judge has ordered the troubled singer to turn over her two children to former husband Kevin Federline until further court order.

Los Angeles Superior Court judge Scott M Gordon has ruled that Mr Federline will take custody of Sean Preston, 2, and Jayden James, 1, beginning Wednesday 'until further order of the court.'

Representatives for Spears and Federline were not immediately available for comment.

It is the same judge who earlier this month ordered Ms Spears, 25, to undergo random drug and alcohol tests twice a week in her child custody dispute with former her husband.

Judge Gordon said Ms Spears showed 'a habitual, frequent and continuous use of controlled substances and alcohol'.

He also ordered Ms Spears and 29-year-old Mr Federline - who is seeking increased custody of their two young sons - to complete a parenting class.

Mr Federline, 29, is seeking increased custody of their two young sons.

Two weeks ago Ms Spears was charged with hit-and-run and driving without a valid licence.

She is accused of hitting a parked car and driving away from a Los Angeles car park on 6 August, a spokesman for the city's attorney's office said.

She could face six months in jail and a $1,000 (£495) fine if convicted of the misdemeanour charges.

It was also reported on Monday that the star may have been driving illegally for years.

Reports in the US claim the singer does not have a valid California driver's licence.

A Department of Motor Vehicles official told the website TMZ.com: 'At this point, Britney Spears does not have a valid California driver's license. She has an application pending that she never completed.'

The website said she has never had a California license during the years that she has lived in LA.

Ms Spears, whose new album is set for release on 13 November, has also been dropped by her management firm, and her recent performance at this year's MTV Video Music Awards was widely panned.

In February she was admitted to a rehabilitation clinic after being photographed shaving her head, following the collapse of her marriage to Mr Federline.

Ms Spears married Mr Federline in October 2004 and filed for divorce last November. The divorce was finalised on 30 July.

Metro