Without his wife and family, a long way from home and in the dead of night, no one can blame Sting for feeling in need of a little company.

But Trudie Styler and their children might feel less inclined to be understanding when they learn where he ended up in Hamburg in the early hours of Wednesday.

The father of six was spotted leaving one of Germany's most notorious brothels after a concert during the Police's reunion tour.

He was pictured apparently trying to duck down in the back seat of a car.

Straight after performing at the HSVArena in Hamburg, the 55-year- old singer jumped into a silver SUV flanked by two bodyguards and headed into town.

As it turned out he clearly had relaxation on his mind. The Relax bordello prides itself on being one of the city's most luxurious.

Advertising itself more innocently as a strip club, promotional literature describes how it is "frequented by more than 40 top models every night".

What is not advertised so freely is that most of the models rent themselves out by the hour.

They usually accompany clients to the swimming pool, whirlpool bath and sauna inside. Brothels are legal in Germany and Relax is well known.

"What did Sting do in Hamburg's top bordello?" screamed the headline of Germany's bestselling Bild newspaper.

The report was accompanied by a picture of the singer being driven away from Relax at 2.15am.

"What he did inside is unclear," the report continued.

"At the bar each night sit up to 40 ladies, fulfilling the wishes of the guests."

The report speculated whether Sting delighted the ladies with a rendition of Roxanne - a Police hit song about a prostitute. Inside Relax, guests are encouraged to spend, spend, spend.

Magnums of Dom Perignon can be served in the whirlpool or "steamy sauna" or indeed poured over the breasts of young models (if pictures on the club's website are anything to go by).

"Discretion billing' is also catered for, presumably so that wives remain none the wiser.

A spokesman for the club said she knew a photo of Sting was taken in the car park in his minibus - but denied he had been inside.

She was unable to say why he was pictured in the Relax car park at 2.15 am, adding: "No, no, he wasn't here."

Asked about Sting's night out in Hamburg, his publicist said: "Sting and his wife Trudie Styler have always been open about their interest in strip clubs.

"I do not know whether he went to this club. However I would not be surprised if he went. It is nothing he would be ashamed of."

In an interview in 2004 Miss Styler claimed the couple had indulged in wife- swopping, swinging and visiting sex clubs.

She told U.S. radio host Howard Stern that said she would watch as her husband met other women.

"I don't get jealous. He likes to go to these clubs where they all get naked," she said.

"I just sort of hang out and talk to them, and polish my nails."

The interview quickly made headlines around the world.

Within days Miss Styler gave another interview as an apparent retraction, saying the comments had all been a joke.

Me and Sting have something in common.

I hear he has a two-inch dick.

Cool! That means we have two things in common.

This isn't really a very big deal.

It was in other papers. And at least they had the pictures.

As for the "OMG, rock star cheats on his wife", again, I found it amusing in context, considering who it was and his supposed lifestyle.