So what's the real reason behind Oasis split?

Squabbling Oasis siblings

Liam

and

Noel Gallagher

fell out in spectacular style over an insult one of the brothers hurled at the other - questioning whether he was the father of his child, according to

tabloid reports

.

Earlier reports claimed that Noel spat the dummy and left the bedevilled group because he couldn't bear working with his brother Liam for a day longer, and blamed "violent and verbal intimidation" and a "lack of support" for his exit.

In a statement, on his blog at Oasisinet.com, he said: "It's with some sadness and great relief to tell you that I quit Oasis tonight.

"People will write and say what they like, but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer. (The reference to his brother Liam was later removed from the post).

The posting added: "I feel you have the right to know that the level of verbal and violent intimidation towards me, my family, friends and comrades has become intolerable.

"And the lack of support and understanding from my management and bandmates has left me with no other option than to get me cape and seek pastures new."

He went on to apologise to fans in Paris who had bought tickets to the band's cancelled gig following a showdown on Friday.

"Apologies are probably not enough, I know, but I'm afraid it's all I've got," he said.

He also apologised for another cancelled gig at the V festival in England, and appeared to hint that the cancellation was not down to

Liam's throat virus

, as had been previously reported in the press.

"Again, I can only apologise - although I don't know why, it was nothing to do with me. I was match fit and ready to be brilliant. Alas, other people in the group weren't up to it," he said.

"Now, if you'll excuse me I have a family and a football team to indulge," he concluded.

And with that parting shot relations between the warring warblers reached an all-time low, resulting in the cancellation of the band's current tour.

Definitely, maybe

But, rather predictably, there's more to it that meets the eye...

Fresh details, published by tattler the

News of The World

, claim the proverbial hit the fan after Liam allegedly, jokingly of course, suggested his brother Noel was not the father of his nine-year-old daughter

Anais

- his daughter by ex-wife

Meg Matthews

.

Reports say Liam tried to make light of his comment, insisting it was a joke, but the damage was done, and a furious bust-up reportedly took place between the pair on Friday night, minutes before they were due to take to the stage at the

Rock en Seine

festival in Paris, France.

A snitch said: "It was a dumb thing to say. They had a big fight when he made the gag. Noel went for him. He was in a blind fury. And he still hasn't calmed down."

Britain's

The Sun

reports that an altercation between the pair "got totally out of hand very quickly".

A scuffle is said to have followed, and Liam is reported to have smashed one of his brother's guitars. Noel allegedly retaliated and stood on the guitar, smashing it to pieces, before yelling at Liam, "You're no brother of mine!"

Singer

Amy MacDonald

, who was also performing at the Seine festival, wrote about the altercation on her Twitter page: "Oasis cancelled again with one minute to stage time!!!

She later added: "Was told by promoter about guitar smashing incident. I wasn't there before you get carried away."

Booze

The Sun

goes one step further and also claims the bust-up between the Gallaghers was sparked by an argument over frontman Liam's alleged drinking.

A snitch tells the newspaper: "Liam has been drinking heavily for the duration of the tour and regularly got very abusive and personal.

"He has taunted Noel's girlfriend,

Sara

, other band members and the crew. People have been frightened to go near him.

"He is one very angry man who needs to sort his issues out."

Things came to a head when Liam turned up backstage at the Paris gig "completely drunk", claims

The Sun

. Brother Noel reportedly confronted him about his lack of "professionalism", leading Liam to allegedly say "horrendous things about Noel's kids".

Mummy says...

Irrespective of whether the boys have tossed their toys out of the pram and drawn the battle lines, their long-suffering mother has the final word on the matter.

Stepping above the hyperbole and hearsay,

Peggy Gallagher

does her best to pour oil over troubled waters and says Oasis will reunite, insisting "Liam adores Noel." (Of course he does, he just doesn't know how to express that brotherly love).

She tells U.K. tabloid the

Sunday Mirror,

"They do love each other, but they've always been very different. The funny thing is, they didn't fight as children. They didn't fight until they started the band.

"They are two very different characters and I think when you're with somebody 24/7 and you've got two different egos they are bound to clash at times.

"I hope this isn't the end of Oasis. I don't think it is. They're just tired at the end of the tour. They've had fights before and got over it."

What do you guys think?

Oasis split:

Brazen publicity stunt/a storm in a teacup/it's about bloody time/ or, as the

Daily Mail

's

James Delingpole

put it, the joyful demise of a "vulgar, over-hyped, under-talented group who finally did the decent thing and split".

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Pictured: Noel Gallagher. Photo / AP

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