Elton John to hear ruling on tour costs

Elton John is waiting to hear if he has won his multi-million-pound High Court action over tour costs he claims he should not have paid.

He is suing Andrew Haydon, former managing director of John Reid Enterprises (JREL), which for many years was the star's management company. Accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers are also being sued.

The 53-year-old singer alleges Mr Haydon, 45, was negligent in allowing JREL to charge him overseas tour expenses, including booking agents, accountants and producers.

Elton's case is that the "several millions" which he paid out in touring expenses should have been borne by JREL under a management agreement.

PricewaterhouseCoopers is accused by Elton of negligence in managing his affairs. Both defendants contested the allegations.

Elton has already accepted $5m from Mr Reid, 51, his former lover and manager, in settlement of his claims against him.

Mr Reid was not a party to the action before Mr Justice Ferris, but the case centred on what was agreed between Sir Elton and him during a 1984 holiday in St Tropez over who would pay overseas touring costs.

Mr Reid, who was called to give evidence by PricewaterhouseCoopers, told the court he would never have agreed to pay touring costs and claimed it was never raised during the 1984 meeting.

During the hearing Sir Elton's evidence hit the headlines when it emerged his spending on property and personal items - including £293,000 on flowers - once amounted to almost £40m over a 20-month period.