Jackson 'will not lose Neverland'

Jackson left the ranch after being acquitted of child abuse in 2005

Pop star Michael Jackson is in no danger of losing his Neverland ranch due to debt, his spokeswoman has said.

She denied reports that the singer had defaulted on a $23m (£11m) loan on the California ranch, saying he was in the process of refinancing the building.

The ranch was listed on a Santa Barbara County foreclosure report this week.

Jackson left the ranch when acquitted of child abuse in 2005. In August, finance firm Prescient Acquisition said he had debts of $272.5m (£130m).

The 1,100 hectare (2,800 acre) Neverland ranch was named after a fictional world in the story Peter Pan and contains amusement park rides and a zoo.

"Mr Jackson is in the final stages of refinance and will not lose Neverland Valley Ranch," his spokeswoman Raymone Bain said.

The 49-year-old singer closed the ranch after his trial and has since lived in Ireland, Dubai, Bahrain and Las Vegas.

Earlier this month, he told US magazine Ebony that he was now living on America's east coast.