AN appearance in family court sought by Kevin Federline amid a child custody dispute with Britney Spears was cancelled yesterday as reports surfaced that the pop star was back in rehab.Spears returned to the Promises Malibu Treatment Centre late on Wednesday, according to reports from TMZ.com, The Insider and Extra. Her mother, Lynne Spears, drove her daughter to the centre,>Extra and The Inside$>said.

Spears and Federline reportedly agreed on Wednesday night that he would keep their two young children while Spears was in rehabilitation, a programme that takes between 30 and 45 days.

Superior Court spokesman Allan Parachini said attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan, who represents Federline, had called the court bailiff and asked to cancel the court appearance. Parachini gave no explanation for the cancellation.

It was not known what issue the 28-year-old Federline planned to raise.

“Kevin continues to be a very focused father with his children with hands-on management,” said a statement from Kaplan, read by his publicist Michael Sands.

Federline sought spousal support and sole custody of Jayden James, five months, and Sean Preston, 17 months, after Spears moved to end their two-year marriage in November, but a temporary order issued on February 1 granted joint custody through this month.

Gina Orr, a publicist at Jive Records, Spears’ label, did not respond to e-mail and phone messages.

Spears previously left the Promises centre Wednesday, according to The Insi<$>, less than a day after arriving. The centre specialises in treating drug and alcohol abuse.

Last week, she reportedly sought treatment at a centre in the Caribbean but also checked out after a day.

The next day, she arrived at a San Fernando Valley hair salon, grabbed an electric razor and shaved her head bald. Afterwards, she visited a tattoo parlour, where she had a pair of red-and-pink lips inked onto her wrist. Then she went out clubbing with friends before apparently checking into Promises.