Britney Spears, who grew to become a pop diva, had a tough and violent childhood, says her uncle.

Britney witnessed her father, Jamie Spears regularly flying into drunken rages at their family home when she was a small child, femalefirst.co.uk quoted Willie Spears, who is her father's brother, as saying.

Willie said the erratic behaviour of Jamie, who sought treatment for his problems with alcohol in 2004, became a "normal" part of his niece's (Britney) childhood. "One time Jamie was drunk and tried to drive off with Britney in the car. She was no more than five years old. I tried to stop him, so I reached into the truck to grab the keys from the ignition and he punched me. We got right into it there by the car, fighting in front of her," said Willie.

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