Britney Spears released from hospital: Report

LOS ANGELES: Britney Spears was released from a hospital psychiatric ward on Wednesday, six days after being admitted amid concerns for her mental health, US media reported. The troubled singer made a low-key departure from the UCLA Medical Centre accompanied by private security guards, according to the Los Angeles Times , before returning to her Beverly Hills home. However, later on Wednesday, local television networks carried live footage of Spears and unidentified companions leaving her home in her black Mercedes and being trailed by a convoy of paparazzi. Spears, 26, had been the subject of a mental health evaluation order after being whisked from her home by paramedics and police last Thursday on the recommendation of her psychiatrist. Reports last weekend said Spears had her stay at the medical centre extended by two weeks but the singer could legally demand to be released or go home if a doctor judged her suitable for outpatient treatment. It was the second mental health scare for Spears in less than a month after she was rushed to hospital in early January by paramedics following a child custody stand-off with the her ex-husband Kevin Federline. Spears' latest hospital drama triggered a court-room battle for control of the singer, with her father being temporarily placed in charge of his daughter's business and financial dealings. Spears parents have also accused the singer's manager and companion Sam Lutfi of drugging their daughter and trying to control every aspect of her life, according to court documents unsealed on Tuesday