Cellmates of Amanda Knox, the American student suspected of involvement in the murder of Meredith Kercher in Perugia last November, have pleaded with prison authorities to stop her repeatedly singing the Beatles' classic "Let it Be" at the top of her voice.

Father Scarabattoli, the prison chaplain at Perugia, said Ms Knox, 20, from Seattle, had asked for a guitar so she could play the song as well a sing it, but this had been refused. Inmates have complained that Ms Knox sings the song all day long, with one jailer reported as agreeing with them that it "drives you mad".