Tormented soccer legend Paul Gascoigne took an aimless taxi ride around town in a pitiful search for company.

And hours later, the debris of clothes, wallet, booze and flowers left behind in the cab becomes a sad image of his messed-up life.

Gazza, 40, hailed the taxi last week as he stumbled out of his West London hotel at the start of another long day of despair - and the latest episode in a saga of drink, drugs and depression.

It was not yet noon but the man who once had the sporting world at his feet slumped in the back, clutching a bottle of wine.

Disoriented and lonely, he got the baffled cabbie to trawl the streets, stopping at random to chat to traders and startled passers-by.

One witness told The People: "Gazza may have been smiling, but he clearly needs help. He was shockingly thin and confused.

"He had a huge wad of cash and bought two bunches of flowers from a stall holder who he kissed.

"Then he chatted to traders selling sunglasses. He tried on three pairs at once and offered the guys £50 for each set. His own glasses still had the Prada label on the lens but he didn’t notice."

Gazza struck up a conversation with a woman walking her dog and grabbed one surprised man to pose with him for a photo.

The onlooker said: "It was if he was trying to re-live the glory days when everyone wanted to have their photo taken with him."

The bizarre outing comes after the former England hero was sectioned under the Mental Health Act in February.

Pals last night claimed Gazza is now considering a £100,000 deal to take part in a British version of the US show Celebrity Rehab.

That alone won’t stop millions of Gazza’s fans and well-wishers fearing for his future.

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