Cage 'not a drunk Chihuahua thief'

Hollywood star Nicholas Cage has been cleared of allegations made against him by fellow actor Kathleen Turner.

Cage, star of such films as Con Air and Face Off, was accused by Turner in her autobiography of stealing a Chihuahua and being arrested for drink-driving twice.

Extracts of the book were printed by the Daily Mail as part of a serialisation in the newspaper and on its website.

However, the claims have been ruled entirely unfounded in a UK court, where Cage's solicitor Simon Smith stated that they had "caused damage to the claimant's personal and professional reputation".

"He has never been arrested for drink driving, dog theft or anything else," he said.

Turner has accepted the ruling and must now pay a donation to a charity of Cage's choice, as well as the legal costs incurred.

The offending story will be removed from the Daily Mail website and all remaining copies of Turner's book will have a correction and an apology inserted.

Cage, who won an Oscar for Leaving Las Vegas, starred opposite Turner in the 1986 film Peggy Sue got married.