"Apart from one television thing, I have kept quiet for 21 months," said Heather Mills after her £20 million divorce ruling today. "I have been told that I can talk now."

She clearly did not need telling twice.

In a "statement" to reporters from the steps of the Royal Courts of Justice, Ms Mills railed against Sir Paul McCartney, her former husband, against Fiona Shackleton, Sir Paul's lawyer, and against Mr Justice Bennett and the entire court system behind him.

It was car-crash television at least as compelling as her performance on the GMTV sofa last October, when she broke down in tears and compared herself to Kate McCann and Diana, Princess of Wales. For several long minutes, the press pack could not get a word in edgeways.

Describing herself as a "campaigning girl", Ms Mills urged people to represent themselves in court – as she had done at the High Court – if they were unable to resolve their own problems between themselves.

She insisted that her parting from her own lawyers, Mishcon de Reya, had been amicable but said the firm wanted to charge her an extra £600,000 to do the divorce trial, “which could easily go to charity”.

The former model reserved special personal criticism for Ms Shackleton, the divorce specialist who represented the Prince of Wales in his divorce from Diana.

Urging others to follow her example and represent themselves, Ms Mills cited “the power of one” and insisted “the Law Courts do not want me to say this”.

“I’m so glad it’s over," she added. "It was an incredible result in the end to secure mine and my daughter’s future and that of all the charities that I obviously plan on helping and making a difference with - because you know it has been my life for 20 years.

“Obviously the court do not want a litigant-in-person to do well, it’s against everything that they ever wish, so when they write the judgment up they’re never going to make it look in favour.

“But all of you that have researched know that it was always going to be a figure between 20 and 30 million. Paul was offering a lot less than that, which you’ll see in the judgment, and very much last minute to put me and Beatrice sadly through this ... incredibly sad.”

The former Lady McCartney ended by expressing the hope that British newspapers would now be able to put proper stories on their frontpages instead of talking about "our boring divorce".

"I'm sure everyone at home is fed up with hearing a million figures that never existed."

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