The Diary was shocked to learn of bizarre goings on at favourite Cannes watering hole The Martinez, involving a violent encounter between a sharply dressed French lady in a very large hat and a female property partner.

The contretemps flared up when the lawyer took pity on the woman, who was caught up in a seething sweaty mass of exuberant male delegates, and fought her way through the pulsating throng to check she was alright.