David and Victoria Beckham are to sue the News of the World over a story that claimed their marriage was in trouble.
A statement from the couple's lawyers said the allegations, in an article headlined Posh and Becks on rocks, was untrue and "caused considerable distress to both the couple and their family".
Sources at the News of the World said the paper would fight the legal challenge, in particular because the couple have never denied that the Real Madrid striker and England captain had an affair with his former personal assistant, Rebecca Loos.
The couple's statement, issued by the law firm Harbottle and Lewis, said: "The News of the World was given the opportunity to provide an apology but have chosen not to respond to the couple's request."
The paper would not comment on the announcement, but a source quoted by the Press Association said: "The prospect of Victoria Beckham and Rebecca Loos face-to-face in court would be too good an opportunity to miss."
The story, published at the weekend, was firmly denied at the time.
Unusually, the News of the World's sister paper, the Sun, ran a story the next day that carried the denial prominently.
