Alan Tam personally denies he slept with fan less than a third his age

Veteran Hong Kong singer Alan Tam, 71, has directly addressed a netizen's allegation that he hooked up with a fan 48 years younger.

The netizen, identified only as the fan's boyfriend, had even posted pictures of a man in a black T-shirt pulling on a pair of pants, claiming it was Tam.

The star had earlier denied the allegation, but only through his agency, and had also threatened to take legal action.

On Monday, he was spotted in Hong Kong and spoke to local reporters, again denying that he had slept with the 23-year-old woman, and saying the matter was in the hands of the police.

Asked specifically if he was the man in the photos, he said: "This is what you think. I personally don't think it is so."

The allegations had been made last month in Weibo posts, in which Tam was tagged, with the netizen making a reference to the star being known to have a wife and a mistress.

The pictures, taken from the back, had others speculating whether it was indeed Tam.

On Monday, he explained he had been filming a music programme in China and was not always reachable on his mobile phone.

He admitted that his family, fans and friends were left worried and disappointed. Those closest to him were feeling hurt and confused.

He vowed to spend more time with his family and repair the relationships.

Tam has a 25-year-old son with his mistress Wendy Chu, who is 20 years his junior. Tam has remained legally married to Sally Yeung since 1981.

When asked about his wife, Tam reportedly said: "My son is my precious one, my other half is in my heart."