Libel court date for Rooney

A courtroom date has been set for a libel action being brought by England star Wayne Rooney – just weeks before next year’s World Cup.

He is suing The Sun newspaper over a story alleging that he slapped his girlfriend Coleen McLoughlin in a Cheshire nightclub.

After the article was published, the £27m (€39.7m) England and Manchester United star instructed media lawyer Keith Schilling to issue legal proceedings against the newspaper for libel.

The high-profile trial is set to begin at the High Court in London on May 2 - five weeks before the World Cup kicks off in Germany on June 9.

The case is expected to last five days.

Rooney, 19, is alleged to have hit Coleen, also 19, after a row in the Brasingamens club in Alderley Edge, while enjoying a night out with other United stars on April 10.

He denies hitting her.