Britney SpearsBritney Spears reportedly welcomed in the New Year with new friend/boyfling paparazzo Adnan Ghalib.

A source told OK magazine that Britney had invited the reportedly married photographer to join her with her sons Sean and Jayden (and their court-appointed visit monitor) at a private beachfront home in Dana Point, California for the evening’s celebrations.

A second source added that Britney wanted the event to be low-key - in comparison to ex-husband Kevin Federline’s partying in Las Vegas: “she wants to leave her wild behaviour behind and concentrate on getting her kids back in 2008.”

Britney and Adnan were first romantically linked after she invited him to join her at the Peninsula hotel last week but when he stepped out of the hotel for cigarettes around 4am, Adnan explained they were just having “lunch”.

However, paparazzi sources claim he has since been “bragging” about the night, saying it was “the best night of his life”: “he’s not confirmed they did sleep together, but he’s not denied it either.”

Britney was spotted driving at speeds of up to 90mph around Hollywood over the weekend in an apparent effort to hide Adnan’s presence in her car from her constant following of photographers but even though their presence might inconvience the pair’s new friendship/relationship now, before they hooked up, Adnan told 20/20 that he thought the paparazzi were good for her: “I mean, if we’re not there, who’s going to pump her gas?”

“Just yesterday she asked me to escort her home. Maybe the only friends she’s going to have that treat her with the respect that she deserves are going to be the photographers that work with her 24 hours a day.”

“It’s going to have to be us… I think we are her friends now. Until she tells us to go away.”