Girls aloud rep slams cole quit rumours

A representative for Girls Aloud has slammed rumours Cheryl Cole has quit the pop group, insisting comments the singer made on TV have been taken out of context.

The star, who also judges on Simon Cowell's singing contest The X Factor, rose to fame with the band after winning 2002 reality show Popstars: The Rivals.

She is currently promoting her debut solo album, 3 Words, while the group is on hiatus.

But Cole, who recently separated from her footballer husband Ashley, sparked speculation she has left the band by referring to Girls Aloud in the past tense on Danish TV, describing them as "a girl group I was with for seven years".

But a representative for Girls Aloud is adamant Cole is still part of the band, telling Metro newspaper, "Cheryl is still a member of Girls Aloud. She was just putting her solo No.1 into context for an audience that would not be aware of Girls Aloud."