Elton John loses court battle

Elton John has failed in a second bid to recover £14m (€21m) in touring costs he believes he should never have paid.

The singer was landed with an estimated £8m (€12m) legal bill after losing his original action at the High Court.

Elton has now had his appeal dismissed by three judges at the Court of Appeal.

There was no application to take the case to the House of Lords.

Elton had sued Andrew Haydon, former managing director of John Reid Enterprises, which for many years was the star's management company, and City accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers, which looked after his business interests.

In April last year, Mr Justice Ferris, sitting in the High Court in London, ruled that Elton's claim in respect of tour costs failed against both PricewaterhouseCoopers and Mr Haydon. He rejected claims of negligence against them.

Elton's appeal was only against PricewaterhouseCoopers, which he alleged was negligent in managing his affairs - a claim which was vigorously contested.

Lords Justices Pill, Robert Walker and Martin Nourse were asked to decide the meaning of Elton's management contract with JREL, signed in 1986.