WWW- Heather Mills has taped evidence to back up claims that Sir Paul McCartney physically attacked her, say friends.

When her explosive court divorce papers accused the ex-Beatle of violently attacking her during their four year marriage she was branded a ‘fantasist’ and a ‘liar’.

But, according to supporters of Miss Mills, she is ready – and able – to back up her claims with recorded, indisputable evidence.

‘Suggestions that Heather simply made up the accusations about Paul attacking her are, understandably, incredibly upsetting for her,’ said a source close to Miss Mills.

‘Whatever she says or does now, Heather feels she cannot win – people are siding with Paul.

‘But she is confident that she can actually prove some of these claims. Without going into specifics, she reckons to have tangible evidence showing that Paul not only verbally attacked her but was also physically aggressive.

‘As well as charting much of the marriage breakdown on her digital camcorder, and having witnesses who will testify to her claims, Heather has another killer piece of evidence in the form of an audio recording.

‘She is being quite cagey about it, but it seems that she may also have some kind of video recording of the pair rowing.

‘It has never been Heather’s intention to use the tapes, which she feels prove that Paul raised his hands to her, but if she has to, she will. It is dynamite stuff and if used, really could destroy Paul.’

The existence of the ‘Macca tapes’ emerged as Miss Mills visited her London lawyers Mishcon de Reya yesterday. Smartly dressed in green velvet jacket and matching beret and skirt, she left their offices saying nothing.

But the bitter war of words will only intensify with news of the potentially vital tapes.

This latest revelation comes five days after the court papers accusing McCartney of repeated violence against his 38-year-old wife were published.

It is claimed in the documents – exclusively revealed by the Daily Mail – that the former Beatle, 64, subjected Miss Mills to four violent attacks.

In one such outburst he allegedly stabbed her in the arm with a broken wine glass and in another he is accused of pushing her into the bath, causing her ‘shock and distress’.

Sir Paul has already flatly denied the allegations and issued a defiant statement saying he will ‘vigorously and appropriately’ contest her claims all the way to court if necessary.

While publicly maintaining a dignified silence friends say he is privately ‘incandescent with rage’ at the allegations.

It is not known which alleged attack, or attacks, Miss Mills is thought to have documented on tape.

Such a recording is likely to be used by Miss Mills’ lawyers as a key bargaining tool in the increasingly acrimonious £825 milion divorce battle.

But news of the recorded evidence follows an alleged phone bugging incident in which a private conversation between McCartney and his fashion designer daughter, Stella, was taped.

In it, the pair are understood to talk explicitly – and in derogatory terms – about Miss Mills. Over the past year Miss Mills has also been seen using a hand-held video recorder.

Whilst initially it was used to film the paparazzi, she has reportedly been using it over the past few months to film, in technicolour detail, the breakdown of her marriage.

Again, if called upon, it could be used in court to help Miss Mills gain a larger divorce settlement.

And earlier this week, former newspaper editor Piers Morgan – who introduced McCartney to his second wife – revealed the existence of a mobile phone answerphone recording in which the singer is heard ‘pleading’ with his wife.

The message was apparently left by McCartney following a furious row with Miss Mills which prompted the former model to flee to India.

Miss Mills’s spokesman refused to deny that his client had video or audio taped evidence supporting the court paper claims.

Last night he said: ‘Heather has got independent corroborating evidence for what she has claimed. ‘In some cases this is in the form of witnesses but she has other corroborating evidence, but I’m not sure what it is.’

Rumours that Miss Mills hit McCartney – not the other way around – have been vehemently denied by her spokesman.

One report yesterday alleged that she hit her first husband. Her former sister in law , Diana Karmal, said she saw Miss Mills slap Alfie Karmal during a row.

Sir Paul’s legal team are likely to closely study a book written by Miss Mills – Life Balance: The Essential Keys To A Lifetime Of Well Being – which may contradict some of her court claims.

In the court document she claims he refused to allow her to surface in the mornings before he was ready.

In her book Miss Mills writes: ‘As a working wife and mother I have learnt that setting the alarm 30 minutes earlier each morning can make all the difference. It allows me little bit of personal space before the day begins.’

And at the time of publication – within days of the couple announcing their separation – Miss Mills writes in her book that she has ‘a very loving and open relationship’ with her husband.

In contrast, the leaked court papers suggest that at this time Miss Mills ‘avers that the marriage [had] irretrievably broken down.’

In the legal documents Miss Mills also complains that she was expected to prepare two dinners every night, one for baby Beatrice and one for McCartney, without assistance ‘despite her disability.’

But in an interview with Michael Parkinson in 2003 she praises her husband for ‘bringing me breakfast in bed every morning, no matter how he feels. And I do the dinner, so we’ve got that agreement. It’s thoughtfulness.’