Coldplay in the hood

Showbiz

09:30 09 May 2005

Chris Martin walks around London at night disguised as a drug dealer -so no one bothers him.

The Coldplay singer has been going out in a hooded jumper so he can get some peace without constantly being approached by fans.

He said: "One thing I like doing is walking around London late at night, with my hood on. You look like a drug dealer. People don't think you're a pop star."

Chris, married to Gwyneth Paltrow, admits he loves the odd pastime because it helps him feel "normal".

He added: "They treat you like they treat other people and that's the way I try and keep normal."

However, the 28-year-old singer was almost unmasked when police almost caught him trying to climb a fence into London's Hyde Park late at night.

The star was so worried he could be mistaken for someone cruising for gay sex he thought twice about his actions.

He explained in an interview with Britain's Q magazine: "I made the mistake of trying to go for a walk in Hyde Park. As I was climbing over the fence there was another guy climbing out.

"He told me, 'Careful there's a police car'. So I decided to stick to the street."(c) BANG Media International