Fiery insults traded as Ryan Giggs confronts former lover in street stand-off

He fought a multi-million-pound privacy battle to keep his extra-marital affair secret.

So passers-by were shocked when publicity-shy Ryan Giggs engaged in a blazing row with his ex-lover outside a restaurant.

The Manchester United footballer apparently shouted at his sister-in-law Natasha Giggs for selling details of their eight-year affair to the tabloid press.

Together with his wife, Stacey, Giggs, 37, is said to have confronted his former mistress outside a Chinese restaurant in Worsley, Greater Manchester.

Astonished drivers watched as the estranged family members traded insults. Stacey first approached Natasha when she was sitting in her car, calling her a "f***ing slag".

Giggs then added: "Are you f***ing proud of yourself? I hope you got paid a lot. Do you realise you've split up two families?"

Natasha, who was married to Giggs's younger brother Rhodri but sold her story to the News of the World this year, replied: "You'd already done that a long time ago."

The footballer was criticised this year for trying to prevent the press revealing he also cheated on his wife with former Big Brother contestant Imogen Thomas. The legal dispute led to a national debate over freedom of speech, with many celebrities openly flouting the law and outing Giggs on Twitter. The injunction is now being ignored.

The Manchester United midfielder said: "You realise I never cared about you, it was just sex to me. You didn't have to sell your story, you did it all for the money. Did you honestly ever think I had feelings for you?"

In a parting swipe, Giggs added: "I know where part of your money's gone - on your new t*ts."

Natasha Giggs later tweeted: "That awkward moment when * bump into the one person * never thought you would see again ... with his lapdog!! ... also referred to as 'the wife'.

"Had a blazin row in the street he is such a t*t!!!!!!!! xx"

Giggs was in Monaco last night to collect the "Golden Foot" award from Prince Albert in recognition of almost 900 appearances for Manchester United. He beat other footballers on the shortlist including Chelsea's Didier Drogba and Barcelona's Xavi Hernandez.

Giggs's agent Harry Swales said: "I'm not discussing it." The Manchester United press office did not respond to calls and emails.

Giggs won a super-injunction preventing the media reporting his affair with Imogen Thomas. But it was rendered "dead in the water" in May after maverick Lib Dem MP John Hemming named him in the House of Commons.

Natasha Giggs was still tweeting about the fiery encounter today, adding, "For the record she called me a whore".