Britney Spears has been banned from an exclusive Los Angeles hotel after shocking guests by "smearing food all over her face".

Troubled mother-of-two Britney can never check into the Chateau Marmont again after diners in the hotel restaurant were appalled by her animalistic table manners.

A "source" told Britain's The Sun newspaper: "The diners were disgusted. You wouldn't expect that from a teenager in a fast food joint. Royalty have dined in this restaurant. Her behaviour was totally unacceptable."

However, it wasn't just Britney's eating habits that led to the ban being enforced by the hotel - which is a favourite haunt of Lindsay Lohan, Sienna Miller and Britney's ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake.

According to an insider, the Gimme More singer has been "acting weird" for months, and bosses decided to impose the severe punishment before things got out of control.

The source added: "Staff at the Chateau have been told she is not welcome.

"She constantly looked out of it when she came in, and guests began to make noises. The hotel acted before she made a huge scene."

The ban is the latest in a string of setbacks to Britney's highly-anticipated career comeback, which began with her widely panned performance at the MTV Video Music Awards earlier this month.

Now a former bodyguard has offered to testify against her in court.

The pop star and her ex-husband Kevin Federline are battling over custody of their sons.

Tony Barretto, 28, said in a court filing that he worked for Spears from the time she left a rehabilitation clinic in March until May 17, 2007, and that he watched her behaviour in and out of the house (see story right).

Federline's attorney, Mark V Kaplan, said it was not unusual for lawyers to decline questioning a surprise witness.

Kaplan did not discuss what went on inside the hearing, but told reporters his client was not seeking more money from Spears. Kaplan said a new custody hearing would likely come in mid-November. An exact date was not yet available.

But the troubled star has at least one, very vocal, supporter.

A video posted on YouTube by an extremely upset fan, titled Leave Britney Alone!, has garnered more than 7 million views since September 10.

In a long, impassioned, sometimes garbled and often weeping message, "itschriscrocker" pleads with the media and the public over and over to "Leave Britney alone".