Leona Lewis 'punched' at signing

A MAN has been arrested after assaulting Leona Lewis at a book signing today.

The singer was left shaken after a male fan "just punched her" in the eye as she was signing copies of her autobiography Dreams.

The man, believed to be in his late 20s or early 30s, had queued up with about 200 other fans at at Waterstones in Piccadilly, London to meet the star, but then attacked her.

Eyewitnesses said Lewis reeled back clutching her face as bouncers restrained the attacker, before she was rushed out of the bookstore.

One fan at the scene told the BBC: "My brother saw the whole incident. He [the attacker] walked up there with the book, she signed it and, as she looked up, he just punched her.

"He [my brother] actually heard the impact."

Another said: "She was running out with her hand over her eye and I just saw a man on the floor.

"Suddenly the security all jumped on him and they were trying to pull him out and he was just laughing, he thought it was funny."

Lewis, who just only 30 minutes into the planned three-hour signing, had to pull out of an appearance on the One Show tonight on BBC1.

A spokeswoman for the star said: "Leona was the victim of an unprovoked attack this afternoon at her book signing.

"The police were called immediately and medical attention has been sought. Leona is understandably shaken and apologises to the fans she was unable to meet and complete signings."