Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills look set to fight out their divorce settlement in public after failing yesterday to reach a deal.

After six days behind closed doors at the High Court, a ruling will now be made by the judge on how much of Sir Paul’s reputed £825 million fortune Ms Mills should receive.

The failure to reach a deal, despite reports at the weekend that one was imminent, means that the pair are still poles apart – and it will fall to Mr Justice Bennett to deliver an order, probably in two to three weeks’ time.

Nicholas Mostyn, QC, who has been representing the former Beatle in his dispute with the former model, confirmed as he left court that the judge had reserved his ruling.

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But although the judge’s decision will be binding, it is open to either side to take it to the Court of Appeal, where the couple’s claims and counterclaims would be aired in a public hearing.

Sir Paul, 65, did not attend court yesterday as Ms Mills, 40, made her final arguments in person – she has dispensed with her lawyers. He is thought to have offered in the region of £20 million, with annual payments until the couple’s daughter, Beatrice, reaches 18. The package has been estimated as worth £55 million – far more than the judge is likely to order.

Yesterday Sir Paul was believed to be rehearsing for the Brit Awards on Wednesday, when he will perform a medley of his hits.

He is insisting on a confidentiality clause, but Ms Mills favours her freedom so that she can speak out about the marriage, possibly entering a book or film deal. She has to calculate whether rejecting Sir Paul’s offer and accepting a settlement of, say, £25 million to £30 million will leave her better off because of possible publishing deals.

Max Clifford, the public relations adviser, told The Times that any such expectations by Ms Mills were wide of the mark. “If I was asked to handle her memoirs I wouldn’t touch them in a million years,” he said.

“The only interest in Heather Mills is Sir Paul McCartney. If this was anyone else, her story to newspapers and television would only be worth £1 million or so – after all, Rebecca Loos got £750,000 for her alleged fling with David Beckham.

“It all depends on the detail, and what exactly she has to say. But given who she is – and the fact that she is such a fantasist and Sir Paul is quite litigious – people will be very wary about touching them.”

Ms Mills said last week that she had fallen out with her previous lawyers, Mishcon de Reya, but one of her entourage was a high street solicitor who could advise from the sidelines.

If Ms Mills appeals – and she is thought to want between £70 million and £80 million – that would entail a dramatic change, as hearings in the Court of Appeal are in public.

Sir Paul has offered a generous settlement in an effort to keep details of his four-year marriage to Ms Mills, who lost part of her leg in a road accident in 1993, out of the public domain.

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