David Beckham will return to Britain for Christmas to care for his dad Ted following his near-fatal heart attack last month.

The 59-year-old is still experiencing breathing problems, so Becks has obtained permission from his football club LA Galaxy to return to his native England for Christmas and New Year.

A source tells The People, "Ted is still very weak. He's having a lot of trouble with breathing and can't work at the moment.

"David wants to spend most of December and January with his dad to make sure there's no stress which could bring on another heart attack.

"He also wants to give Ted's house a full makeover so it's a comfortable place to live."

However, it isn't all bad news for the midfielder - the trip means he will probably miss wife Victoria's comeback with the Spice Girls when they kick off their reunion world tour next month.