Britney celebrates 26th birthday

Britney Spears parties birthday night away with Paris Hilton

HAVING LOST CUSTODY of her two young sons and with charges for driving without a licence still to be settled, it might have been a good time for Britney Spears to keep a low profile.

But never one to be out of the limelight, the pop star celebrated her 26th birthday on Saturday night at a Bel Air mansion party hosted by Sharon Stone.

Britney arrived shortly before 10pm and took a seat at a table on the patio, where friends gathered round to sing happy birthday when she was presented with a cake.

'She was smiling and looked really happy,' one party-goer told OK! magazine.

When Paris Hilton arrived just before midnight, she was swarmed by paparazzi and threatened to steal the attention from the birthday girl.

'Paris drank in the attention,' said an onlooker. 'Posing for the camera and eating it up.'

But any bad feeling was shortlived and the heiress later joined Britney's posse at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills, where they partied until nearly sunrise, posing for pictures on the balcony and sipping champagne.