London, Aug 6 Footballer Ashley Cole reportedly had to hide his face to avoid his ex-wife Cheryl Cole's bandmates Nicola Roberts and Kimberly in a club.

The Girls Aloud singers and Ashley almost crossed paths at the posh Rose Club here. The girls had come to celebrate Kimberly's sister Sally's birthday and he was there with his friends.

"Ashley and his group were already settled in when the girls arrived. One of his friends saw them coming through the door and headed over straight away to warn him," thesun.co.uk quoted a source as saying.

"He knows that Nicola and Kimberley are two of Cheryl's closest friends and that it would not be a good idea for them to cross paths," the source added.

However, Ashley was lucky that his ex-wife's best friends did not pay attention to or notice him.

"Fortunately, the girls' group was very tipsy and just concentrating on having a good time," the source said.

Ashley and Cheryl were married for four years and they parted ways after reports of Ashley cheating on her with other women surfaced.