Beckham anger over slurs

David Beckham hit back yesterday after a German newspaper criticised members of his family.

The England captain, 31, spoke out after an article in Bild claimed his mother Sandra had 'the smile of a peasant' and branded his sister Joanne 'lardy'.

The article said: 'Look at her arms, look at her breasts, look at her bum, very British. She belongs on a beach in Majorca drinking sangria out of buckets - and you can count on her to be the first one on the table topless.'

The newspaper also said Victoria Beckham was a 'trophy wife' and claimed son Romeo looked like a girl. 'He should have been called Juliet,' it added.

A furious Beckham branded Bild 'sad and unacceptable'. He said: 'One person has found it funny to criticise my mum, my sister and my children.

'But it is just one person sat in a room thinking of something they can do to put me off the next game. I am not going to let that happen. I've come to terms with people criticising me as a footballer at times but, when it comes to my family, that's one thing I won't accept and never will.'

The players' families were invited to join the team by coach Sven Goran Eriksson. They are based in Baden-Baden, a few miles from the team hotel.

They were allowed to take two days off to spend time with their partners and children after they beat Paraguay 1-0 in their opening match on Saturday.

Beckham said: 'That's the way Sven is. It's a nice, relaxed atmosphere and we are fine with it.'

But he admitted his public lifestyle had often had repercussions on his family.

Beckham added: 'For the last ten years, when something has happened to me on a football pitch, it is my family that have been affected. I can put up with it, but it is hard for them.'