Mills: 'Losing My Leg Was Easier Than Mccartney Break-up'

The pair separated in 2006 after four years of marriage and went on to fight an ugly public divorce battle.

The union was officially dissolved in 2008 and the former Beatle was ordered to hand over $38.9 million (£24.3 million) of his fortune to his ex-wife, as well as annual payments for their daughter Beatrice.

Despite the animosity between Mills and MCCartney, the charity campaigner - who had a section of her leg amputated after a motorbike ran into her in 1993 - has spoken out about the deep pain she went through after leaving the Beatles legend, and insists their love was for real.

She tells Britain's The People newspaper, "I was madly in love with him. I was absolutely devastated and numb. I didn't know what to do. Losing my left leg in a motorcycle accident was 20 times easier to deal with than losing my marriage.

"The thing that kept me going was Beatrice and my friends and family.

"Paul and I were completely in love. It was a real love story - but it ended even though I didn't want it to. I had to leave. I had no choice."