Stone: 'Split was nothing to do with scandal'

British soul singer Joss Stone has rubbished reports she split from producer Beau Dozier because of the furore surrounding their "under-age" romance.

The Super Duper Love star, 18, caused outrage in America when she moved in with 25-year-old Dozier in Los Angeles at the age of 17, as she was still below the age of consent by California law.

But Stone insists their recent break-up was simply a result of "growing apart".

She says: "Our split was nothing to do with the 'scandal'. And I can't even blame it on the long distance thing. I have a hectic schedule and so does Beau, but if it was meant to be then we would still be together.

"I am very young and we just grew apart."