Millionaire football star Frank Lampard spent part of the Christmas break in Northern Ireland with his new love Christine Bleakley — and spent a penny or two in a pound shop while he was here.

The Chelsea ace appears to have cemented his blossoming relationship with One Show star Christine during a trip to her hometown Newtownards before jetting back to London to ring in the New Year.

The pair visited swish Deane’s Deli in Belfast city centre as well as the popular Mourne Seafood Bar and dropped into Ards’ Cafollas Cafe and the Dirty Duck Alehouse in Holywood during their romantic break.

However despite earning an estimated £8 million a year, Lamps also enjoyed a rummage in the Newtownards branch of cut-price chain Poundland.

There were raised eyebrows as the happy showbiz couple ploughed their way through the shelves in search of bargains despite their high league earnings. The soccer star also posed for pictures with fans and obligingly signed autographs for fans during his short stay.

The pair met after BBC presenter Christine’s split from local businessman Mark Beirne and Lampard’s high-profile break from Spanish model Elen Rives, with whom he has two daughters.

Poundland store manager Mark Lucas said that while his biggest ever showbiz customer earns a packet, the shop still has something for everyone, and added: “We’re good enough for WAGs these days.”

Frank is understood to have met with Christine’s parents Frederick and Mina and her sisters at their Co Down home during his stay, prompting speculation that their previously low-key romance is getting serious.

The pair have previously been keen to avoid being spotted together since they were first linked in October 2009, although Christine was seen at a recent Chelsea-Everton match.