Former Atomic Kitten star Kerry Katona was declared bankrupt today after losing a race against time to settle the final part of a tax bill.

The one time singer turned women’s magazine favourite managed to reduce her £417,000 tax bill to £82,000 but HM Revenue and Customs pressed ahead with the bankruptcy petition first issued in January.

Katona, who was not at the High Court, battled down to the wire, asking for more time to come up with the shortfall.

Representing Katona, Luke Harris asked the registrar to put the matter back, saying funds were available but cheques had not been cleared.

Mr Harris said as soon as the money was ready, it would be brought to the court and given to Mike Thomas, the lawyer representing HMRC.

Mr Registrar Nicholls granted an extra hour but just before 1pm called the parties back into the court and Mr Harris said he was "not in a position to assist further".

Two weeks ago Katona, who has lucrative deals with supermarket chain Iceland and OK! magazine, was given until today to find the sum by the registrar in a case that had been before the court four times.

Katona found fame and fortune in girl group Atomic Kitten in the late 1990s but faced a plethora of troubles after leaving the band in 2001. She married and then divorced Westlife singer Brian McFadden, fighting him in a bitter custody battle for their two children.

She entered rehab for cocaine and alcohol abuse and, most recently, bipolar disorder after she was held hostage in her home by burglars.

She is married to taxi driver Mark Croft, and the pair have two children.

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