Durham cricketer Ben Stokes and wife Clare condemn claims of physical altercation at awards

The 28-year-old was honoured for this summer’s Ashes heroics at a gala dinner in London on October 3.

But yesterday, Tuesday, October 8, pictures emerged of Stokes and wife Clare appearing to become involved in a physical confrontation during the event at the Roundhouse in Camden.

Clare Stokes swiftly defended her husband in a Twitter post, which included a photo of her ‘squishing up’ the cricketer's face as a sign of affection as well as one of them together at the awards night.

"Unbelievable what nonsense these people will make up!" she wrote.

"Me and Ben messing about squishing up each other's faces cos that's how we show affection and some pap tries to twist it in to a crazy story!"

Stokes paid tribute to the ‘wonderful relationship’ he and his wife enjoy in a statement to the Daily Mirror: "I have become used to people making stuff up about me, but of all the topics not to mess with domestic abuse has to be at the top of the list.

"It's an incredibly serious issue for thousands of women - and men - who do suffer domestic abuse.

"Clare is a strong, independent woman who can speak for herself.

"We have a wonderful relationship and I never tire of saying how lucky I am to be with her. We both had a great night at the PCA Awards, ending with us dining out at McDonald's together.

"To falsify and spread these kind of allegations so willingly is totally irresponsible. The way that this has come across is so far removed from what it was.

"It was a stressful 45 minutes for us when we found out, but we wanted to address it as quickly as we could."

England and Wales Cricket Board Chief executive Tom Harrison said in a statement: "We have spoken with both Clare and Ben - as well as others in attendance - who have all clarified the innocent context behind the still photographs taken at last week's PCA Awards."