Best's doctor tells of fears for him

The doctor who has been treating soccer hero George Best has spoken of his fears for his patient following the news of his latest drinking lapse.

Professor Roger Williams, the liver specialist, says he hopes to persuade Best back to London for further treatment following reports of a drinking spree in Northern Ireland.

Prof Williams began treating the 54-year-old former Manchester United star last year and warned him at the time that even one glass of wine could finish him off.

"We do know in the last week or so that he has had some lapses," he said.

"I spoke to him in the middle of last week and he was very clear - so it is not every day as the some of the newspapers have been saying.

"It is worrying and I am hoping that we will get him back to London and grapple with him again."

He added that Best is well aware of the consequences of his actions.

"He is very worried about it and every time that I have spoken to him he has been worried about it," he said.

"He knows that he is risking his life and that is why we have got to get him to stop."

Best is said to have started hitting the bottle again last week after ill health forced him to pull out of an Old Trafford charity dinner in his honour.

He was also to have provided commentary for the BBC on the Northern Ireland World Cup qualifying fixture against the Czech Republic in Belfast, but pulled out citing continued ill health.