New woman: Ashley Cole has moved on from wife Cheryl withe ex-lapdancer and model Sarah PurnellAshley Cole has moved on from estranged wife Cheryl - with an ex-lapdancer he thinks is the 'spitting image' of her.
Before jetting off to South Africa for the World Cup, things between the Chelsea and England defender, 29, and Sarah Purnell had definitely been 'heating up', according to one of her friends.
In a special farewell before he left for the tournament, the 23-year-old from Birmingham visited him at his London flat last Tuesday, his neighbours reported
Then, as she left at approximately 2am, he shouted after her, 'See you later sexy bum!'
Now it has emerged - just days after Cheryl filed for divorce - that the pair have been exchanging texts everyday and speaking on the phone on a regular basis.
And Purnell's friend says she is 'absolutely over he moon' about her romance with the footballer.
They said to the News of The World: 'She spent the first night at his and it was all very romantic. Ashley was a perfect gentleman and treated her like a princess
Farewell: Hours before Ashley embarked on a flight to South Africa with the rest of the England team Purnell had visited him at his flatThey added: 'She hasn't got a bad word to say about him and has defended him when people have tried to have a go about Cheryl or the end of his marriage.'
Purnell met Cole in May at a fancy-dress party at the Super Club in Notting Hill, west London.
Wearing a skin-tight pink and black dress, the dancer - who has earned up to £600 a night working in London's Spearmint Rhino - caught Ashley's eye.
But initially, Purnell was dismissive of him and the group of Chelsea reserves he was partying with.
'Sarah is not the type to get star-struck and when her mate first pointed out Ashley Cole being there she hardly seemed to care at all,' her friend said.
'It was only later when they were sat next to each other on a bed in the VIP section that they got chatting.'
Lookalike: According to Purnell's Twitter page she is often mistaken for CherylDespite the much-publicised breakdown of his high profile marriage and the numerous other girls trying to get Ashley's attention, Purnell was cool with him at first.
The friend said: 'Sarah was not fazed at all and even told him she was a Manchester United fan, which did not go down too well.
'She is probably not the normal type of girl he meets and never expected him to buy her a drink. Ashley had to do all the running to even impress her that night.'
Since meeting, Ashley has been quite open about the reason behind his attraction - the dancer looks like his ex-wife.
'No wannabe': Although she bares resemblance to Cheryl Sarah's friend says she is not trying to emulate her'He even told her she looks the spitting image of Cheryl but Sarah is definitely her own person,' the friend said. 'She's no wannabe.'
According to her Twitter page, she is frequently compared to the Girls Aloud star.
And Ashley is not the only celebrity she has become friends with. She was also tweeting Calum Best in March saying: 'Hurry home you!!!xx'
In addition to having famous associates and being regarded as something of a doppelganger, Purnell applied to audition for X Factor - where she would have come face-to-face with Cheryl.
However, in the end she did not attend the trials, despite being an aspiring singer.
As well as dancing, Purnell has modelled for glossy magazines and was interviewed by Love It! magazine earlier this year about casting love spells.
Magic: Purnell describes herself as 'part white witch'The dancer describes herself as 'part white witch' and said: 'Whether I’m in my witchy role or dancing sexily, I’m a real charmer.' Perhaps she has cast a spell over Ashley - because according to her friend, the footballer is smitten.
'Ever since the first night Ashley's been asking her to visit him but she lives a three-hour drive away and is determined to keep him at a distance while they find out more about each other.
'It's hard because he's going to be away for quite a while. Sarah knows how much the World Cup means to Ashley and would never do anything to jeopardise his chances of playing a starring role for England in South Africa.'
Persistent: Ashley pursued Purnell when they met at a party in MayAccording to the friend, he wants to whisk her away somewhere special when he returns from South Africa They said: 'He has been genuinely excited about going but has said he wants to see her again when he comes back.
'They've mentioned going away on a romantic holiday to get out of the spotlight because Ashley has had a really hard year. He is facing the prospect of this divorce and Sarah knows he is still hurting about that.'
If Purnell is being cautious, perhaps dancer Derek Hough should follow her lead
Divorce: Cheryl began proceedings last week to end her marriage to AshleyBut according to his stepfather Aaron Nelson he is 'head over heels in love' with 26-year-old Cheryl.
The close friend of the star has been a dependable presence throughout her difficult split with Ashley.
And now divorce proceedings have began, he is desperate to be the new man in Cheryl's life
Nelson said to the Sunday Mirror: 'For Derek, this is true love. There is no doubt about it He is totally in love with her.
'And it's easy to see why, she's one hell of a girl. Very talented and incredibly beautiful.'
The star, currently in Paris, was pictured going to the Bercy Concert Hall last nightHe added: 'I know Derek is in love with her because he has told me he is in love with her and I think she feels the same way about him. 'She is the girl of his dreams and he is desperate to be with her. He would follow her to the ends of the earth.'
Unlike estranged husband Ashley - who allegedly cheated on Cheryl - Nelson said Hough would never treat the 26-year-old badly, according to Nelson.
'He wants to be in a stable relationship. And I think he might have finally found the right girl.'
source: dailymail
