January 26, 2009 11:51

James Taylor sends fan MP3 player after taxi furore

Folk singer helps out fan after her iPod was confiscated

James Taylor is to send a fan an iPod after her MP3 player was confiscated by police in New York during a row about a taxi fare.

Natalie Lenhart had her credit card declined when trying to pay a taxi fare. A policeman then threatened to arrest the 20 year-old if she did not hand over her MP3 player as payment.

Lenhert complied, and later gave an interview to the New York Post in which she said she was a James Taylor fan. Taylor read the article and got in touch.

The folk singer promised to send Lenhert a replacement MP3 player and criticised the police officers involved in the incident, describing their behaviour as "like frontier justice".

He added: "They sort of had the policemen make the decision about what was appropriate payment on the spot. It's weird."

The cab driver, named Mohammed Islam, has offered to send back the MP3 player in return for his $49 (£36) fare.