Real Madrid star Gareth Bale has called off his wedding to his fiancee Emma Rhys-Jones due to a family rift involving his girlfriend's dad Martin. The Welsh winger, 29, and his childhood sweetheart had planned a star-studded wedding in an Italian castle this summer, but according to British tabloid, The Sun, the couple have postponed it to next year.

"Emma is secretly delighted by the postponement because it will give her time to get in shape after having the couple's third baby, Axel. She and Gareth also believe a violent drugs feud which has engulfed her family will die down if they delay the wedding. There's so much family turmoil right now. They want things to settle down before tying the knot," a source said yesterday.