Hello! threatens legal action in Brad/Angie baby pic row

Hello! Magazine is taking legal action to stop websites publishing a leaked picture of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt with their newborn daughter Shiloh.

The photo "has been obtained totally illegally", said the magazine's features editor, Juliette Herd.

The celebrity couple sold the photos through picture agency Getty, with all proceeds going to charity.

Both Hello! And Getty say they will seek damages from any internet sites which reproduce the picture.

The leaked photo first surfaced on US gossip blogs yesterday. Several sites have already removed the picture, which shows Angelina lying beside her sleeping daughter while Brad looks on from the side.

Experts estimate that global rights to the pictures will have raised as much as $7m (€5.5m). They will be published by Hello! tomorrow.