BRITNEY SPEARS - BRITNEY'S FATHER GIVEN CONTROL

BRITNEY'S FATHER GIVEN CONTROL

Britney Spears father has been given temporary control of her estate after the singer's recent hospitalisation.

The 26-year-old was admitted to the UCLA medical centre in Los Angeles in the early hours of Thursday morning after her psychiatrist requested she be held under a 5150 72-hour holding order.

It is thought the Toxic star's mental state had worsened in recent days, and she had reportedly not slept for five days, triggering the hospitalisation.

Spears' assets have now been placed under the 'conservatorship' of her father James and attorney Andrew Wallete.

Superior court commissioner Reva Goetz issued the order, calling her decision "necessary and appropriate".

Under the terms of the conservatorship - commonly issued by a court when a person is believed to be incapable of caring for themselves or their affairs - Spears' father is permitted to handle all of the star's liquid assets, including credit cards, and can change the locks on her estate.

James Spears is also able to restrict and limit visitors to Britney as well as employing 24-hour security for the star.

"It is in the best interests of the conservatee to have conservatorship over her person," Ms Goetz explained.

The order also sees a restraining order placed against Spears' manager and confidante Sam Lufti, who has recently given interviews calling the singer's family "crazy".

Talking to People, he said: "[Britney's family] came into the house with an agenda and are trying to look like the heroes after all the dirty work has been done. Their main worry is being financially cut off."

And while speaking to E! News, Lufti said the Spears family were "incapable of telling the truth and incapable of sympathising.

"They're more concerned about money and their own image than Britney's condition," he added.

Spears' hospitalisation was her second in a month, after she was admitted to Cedars Sinai medical centre following a public standoff with police, when she refused to hand over her two sons to a bodyguard of ex-husband Kevin Federline, with whom she is engaged in a long-running legal dispute for custody of the two boys.