Heather Mills to employ forensic accountants to prove Paul McCartney is worth $1.6bn

Heather Mills has told friends she intends to employ a team of forensic accountants to examine her ex-husband's finances and prove the former Beatle really is worth $1.6bn.

The former glamor model -- dubbed Lady Mucca by British tabloids due to her porn past -- hopes that the information will lead to the divorce ruling being overturned and see more money go to their four-year-old daughter Beatrice.

During her press conference after the divorce hearing at London's High Court last week, Heather said: "We all know he's worth £800million ($1.6bn). He's been worth £800million for the last 15 years."

The Sunday Times Rich List put Sir Paul McCartney's wealth last year at $1.65bn.

Heather, who last week was awarded a $48.6m divorce settlement from Sir Paul , had reportedly hired accountancy firm Lee and Allen in an attempt to discredit McCartney's own valuation of his wealth. But Mr Justice Bennett confirmed that many of the requests for information made by the company were declined by the court.

Heather, 40, intends to recruit another accountancy firm to examine Sir Paul's music rights, business assets and properties such as his Peasmarsh estate in East Sussex, according to Britain's Daily Mail newspaper.

She claims to have recordings of her ex-husband telling her he is worth at least $1.6 billion.

Dr Philip Beresford, who compiles the Sunday Times Rich List, said: "All I would say is that we were surprised that the valuation of the music rights and business assets were so low.

"Also we wonder what has happened to Linda McCartney's money - she was worth some £150million when she died.

"Also the (McCartney) children all seem to have gone very quiet. They were bleating before about money.

"We were wondering whether he had given them some slabs of money first to keep them quiet and then to keep them off his balance sheet. We were certainly surprised by the figures.

"Obviously it is in the interest of his accountants and himself to keep the figure as low as possible."

Heather has also reportedly told friends she is unable to look after Beatrice on $70,000 a year, the sum awarded to her at the High Court.

One friend said: "Heather says she can prove the amount of money that is being given to look after Bea will not last over the year. She is putting it to the test.

"Even with Bea traveling in economy Heather says it's not enough. She is keeping every receipt - including her invoice to her security team - to show that £35,000 is just not sufficient.

"Heather's thinking is that Bea should not be seen to have a different lifestyle when she is with Heather compared to Paul - and she is going about proving that is not possible.

"Heather is hoping Paul will discretely make a payment to her annually rather than want to go back to court and rake all this up again."

However, a legal source pointed out last night: "Mr Justice Bennett made the ruling based on Heather's need and also based on the standard of living the couple enjoyed when they were together.

"It is quite possible that even if Heather proves that Paul was worth £800million, it would not greatly affect the ruling. It is certainly not a given that she would even be granted leave to appeal."