It was billed as the pop publicity stunt of the year - Brighton rock band The Railing Stains holding forth beneath David Blaine's plastic box in London.

But another Sussex rock star stole the limelight at the last minute with that timeless classic - an alleged scuffle with a photographer.

Sir Paul McCartney pipped the Stains to the front pages when his friends had an alleged run-in with a snapper in the early hours of Friday morning at Tower Bridge, where illusionist Blaine is attempting to remain suspended 30ft in the air in a plastic box for 44 days without food.

As confusion reigned on the banks of the Thames, back in Brighton nothing seemed to be going right for the Rolling Stones tribute band.

They had recovered from an earlier setback when manager Mark Turner's Hollingbury home burnt down on Wednesday.

Like true professionals the band rose at 6am to head for London after overcoming a last-minute crisis when their drummer dropped out due to illness.

Then the replacement drummer rang while they were en route to say he couldn't make it and the race was on to find a replacement at 20 minutes' notice.

Much cajoling later the band arrived in the capital to find the front page of a London paper plastered with news of the Macca fracas.

Not to be put off, they waited while the latest drummer struggled through Friday traffic and in the meantime were told in no uncertain terms "If you play one note we will arrest you" by two officers from the Metropolitan Police.

The musicians turned to Blaine himself and wrote OK 4 ROCK BAND 2 PLAY? in the sand below his cage, prompting an enthusiastic grin and thumbs up from the man himself.

It was probably the most reaction anyone had got from him all day. But it failed to impress officers, who were being extra vigilant after the pre-dawn brawl.

Determined though they were not to be upstaged, news of the McCartney barney coupled with the threat of having their equipment confiscated proved too rock 'n' roll even for Brighton's most experienced rockers.

After valiantly posing for pictures to the accompaniment of a few riffs on the drums the band packed up and went home - under the disappointed gaze of the hungry hoverer.

Railing Stains frontman Bob Ward said: "We felt sorry for the photographers so we posed for some pictures even though we couldn't perform.

"We just wanted to play a gig and cheer up David. But after getting the all-clear from David, we were threatened with arrest."

Police are now looking into the disagreement between the photographer and Sir Paul's friends.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "Following the altercation, we have received two counter-allegations of common assault.

"The group of friends have alleged that they were assaulted by a man during the argument."

"He alleges that they assaulted him. Statements were taken at the scene. Walworth police are investigating and inquiries continue."