Unwelcome distraction for Jude & Jobe! Bellinghams' parents split as father Mark is accused of 'growing close' to another woman

Police sergeant Mark and Denise, who previously worked in human resources, are said to be bringing a marriage that has spanned more than two decades to a close. They gave up their own careers in order to further those of Jude and Jobe. The pair are credited with having masterminded meteoric rises that now have the Bellingham brothers on the books of European heavyweights Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund - having both stepped out of the academy system at Birmingham City in their native West Midlands.

Rumours of a split began to surface when Mark and Denise were spotted sitting apart when watching Jobe in Champions League action against Athletic Club. German media outlets reported at the time how there was a supposedly “dangerously tense atmosphere” in the Bellingham camp - with Mark only talking to a close family member during the match.

The Daily Mail now cites sources as having “confirmed that Mark has grown close to Shelley Punshon, a detective constable in the West Mercia police”. Ms Punshon has posted a picture on Facebook of the pair looking comfortable in one another’s company, with one comment reading: “Lovely couple”. Punshon has also stated that they are “off to Santorini soon”, with a Greek getaway being hinted at.

News of an uncoupling is unlikely to have come as a surprise to Jude and Jobe, as they will be fully aware of family dynamics, but they could do without any distractions at present - with the former being left out of the latest England squad as he continues to make a full recovery from shoulder surgery, while the latter has been struggling for starts at Dortmund.

The Mail claims to have been told by sources in Germany that “concern is increasing within the club at the impact the domestic troubles in the Bellingham family are having on Jobe, who is said to be particularly close to Denise”.

The insider said: “It's obvious to the management that Jobe is struggling with personal matters. He has struggled to make friends in the team, rarely goes out socialising in Dortmund and spends most of his time in his house alone. The atmosphere and tension in the family is affecting his performances on the pitch. At the recent match his parents attended they came and left alone and didn't speak once. There are worries that Jobe feels very insecure and pressurised by what is going on.”

Mark Bellingham courted controversy in August when confronting Dortmund officials after Jobe had been replaced at half-time in a Bundesliga season opener. Friends and family are now said to be banned from the tunnel and dressing room area.

Mark acts as an agent for Jude and Jobe, helping to negotiate transfers, salary packages and sponsorship deals. He was once a decent amateur footballer himself, netting more than 700 career goals across spells with 20 different clubs between 1994 and the late 2010s.

Denise, meanwhile, handles financial affairs for her sons. She is joint-director of several companies set up alongside Mark. It remains to be seen how business affairs will work in the wake of a reported split.

Both Jude and Jobe have spoken glowingly of their parents down the years, with the role that they have played in helping to maximise undoubted potential being talked up. They must now try to ensure that focus remains locked on professional matters - with Jobe in the latest England U21 squad while Jude is counting down the days to a return to action with Real Madrid against Getafe on October 19.