GEORGE CLOONEY - CLOONEY LINKED TO MYSTERY BRUNETTE

Hollywood hunk GEORGE CLOONEY has been spotted with a mystery brunette in his Italian lakeside mansion - despite his recent declaration of "liking" his on/off girlfriend LISA SNOWDON.

Clooney renewed his relationship with the British model while filming OCEAN'S TWELVE in Europe earlier this year (04) - three years after they originally dated in 2001.

Last month (SEP04) the THREE KINGS star admitted he hoped things would last between them this time round, saying, "We like being together. We hope to make things work out a little better this time because we've probably learnt something from being together before."

However, according to gossip website FEMALEFIRST.CO.UK and Britain's DAILY STAR newspaper, Clooney spent the whole weekend (02-03OCT04) with a dark-haired Italian in Villa Oleandra, which overlooks Lake Como.

A source says, "She had a Rome accent and she looked like a young SOPHIA LOREN.

"The locals are very loyal to George and nothing has leaked out. George is good for business and they try to protect him. But everyone's talking about it."