Football legend Paul Gascoigne is reportedly being given weak alcoholic drinks at the hotel where he is staying in an attempt to stop him drinking harder spirits which could kill him.

He is back in luxury health spa Champneys Forest Mere in Hampshire, where he was found unconscious and covered in blood following an incident on Friday night.

A source has revealed the 48-year-old former England player is being given small amounts of alcohol in a bid to stop him drinking stronger alcohol which could kill him - particularly after he fell on a glass following a drinking binge on Friday.

Scroll down for video

Hospitalized: Football legend Paul Gascoigne (pictured three weeks ago) has been rushed to hospital after he checked into a luxury health spa in a 'paralytic' state - and then collapsed in a pool of blood, it is reported

Gascoigne, 48, whose struggle with alcohol addiction has been well-documented, apparently 'stank' of booze when he arrived at Champneys Forest Mere in Hampshire by taxi on Friday night.

After checking into the spa at 8pm, the star was taken to his room, where he tried to request more alcohol from worried staff members - who immediately refused his order, according to The Sun.

Instead, they sent the father-of-three some toast and cold meat, and let him get some rest.

But in the early hours of Saturday morning, a night porter reportedly checked on the ex-footballer - and discovered him 'slumped over', bleeding heavily from his hand, after having fallen on a glass.

The porter alerted other staff members to Gascogine's state and an ambulance was called.

The star - who is currently at the centre of a 'hate crime' investigation by police - was then rushed to hospital in a 'medical emergency', trembling and with blood still pouring from the cut to his hand.

While he was being treated by paramedics, he apparently revealed that he had arrived at the resort in Liphook just hours after a five-day stay in hospital for a bladder infection, the newspaper reports.

Gascoigne returned to the hotel on Saturday after he was discharged from hospital.

A source told the Sun: 'The view is allowing small amounts of drink is better than him running off and buying bottles of hard spirits which could kill him.

'Making an alcoholic go cold turkey is dangerous. This must be why they are doing it.'

They added: 'He rarely eats much. One minute he's laughing, the next cyring. With Christmas days away we're all scared this could end in tragedy.'

Spa resort: Gascoigne, 48, whose struggle with alcohol addiction has been well-documented, apparently 'stank' of booze when he arrived at Champneys Forest Mere (above) in Hampshire by taxi on Friday night

Stage tour: Gascoigne - who has claimed to be healthy and well during his recent stage tour (left and right) - is currently under investigation by West Midlands Police after allegedly telling a 'racist joke' while on stage

Previous incident: On July 9 2010 Gascoigne appeared at the scene of the tense stand-off between the police and Raoul Moat, claiming to be a friend of Moat and stating that he had brought him 'a can of lager, some chicken, fishing rod, a Newcastle shirt and a dressing gown.' Above, he is hospitalized after that incident

Court appearance: In October, the star hit the headlines after he was fined and made subject to a restraining order for harassing his ex-girlfriend, Amanda Thomas, and assaulting photographer Steven Shepherd

Gascoigne - who has claimed to be healthy and well during his recent stage tour - is currently under investigation by West Midlands Police after allegedly telling a 'racist joke' while on stage.

The Geordie star apparently drew gasps after stating he wasn't be able to see a black security guard's face in poor light during a show at Wolverhampton Civic Hall last month.

It came during an evening billed 'An Audience With Paul Gascoigne' on November 30, for which punters forked out over £350 for a VIP pass.

'Gazza knew what he'd done straight away,' said one witness. 'There were gasps. It's such a shame because he was really on form, the best I've seen him for a long time.'

THE LIFE AND CRIMES OF PAUL 'GAZZA' GASCOIGNE Gascoigne has published three books where he refers to receiving treatment for bulimia, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), bipolar disorder, and alcoholism. The football legend first entered therapy sessions in October 1998 when he was admitted into Priory Hospital after a drinking session where he drank 32 shots of whisky which left him at 'rock bottom'. He stayed at the clinic in 2003 after he suffered low points working in China, and again in 2004 after retiring from football. In February 2008 he was sectioned under the Mental Health Act after an incident at the Malmaison Hotel in Newcastle upon Tyne. He was sectioned again in June, and in September he was hospitalised after he overdosed on alcohol and drugs in an apparent suicide attempt. In November 2008, Gascoigne was faced with a bankruptcy petition over a £200,000 tax bill, having not filed any tax returns for more than two years. Gascoigne was arrested for a disturbance outside a takeaway in February 2010. The following month he was charged with drink driving, driving without a licence, and driving without insurance. On July 9 2010 Gascoigne appeared at the scene of the tense stand-off between the police and Raoul Moat, claiming to be a friend of Moat and stating that he had brought him 'a can of lager, some chicken, fishing rod, a Newcastle shirt and a dressing gown.' In October 2010, Gascoigne was arrested for drink driving. One day after being warned he could face a prison sentence for drink driving, Gascoigne was arrested for possession of cocaine. He was given an eight-week suspended sentence on 9 December 2010. He was arrested for assaulting a railway security guard and being drunk and disorderly at Stevenage railway station on July 4 2013; he was fined £1,000 after admitting the offence and ordered to pay £100 compensation to the guard. In January 2014 Gascoigne entered rehab for his alcohol addiction for a seventh time. In August that year he was again admitted to hospital in relation to his problems following an incident outside his home. On October 23 2014, police were called to his home in Poole after he went on a drink binge; he was sectioned under the Mental Health Act the next day and taken to a hospital for a three-day detox. Advertisement

Police confirmed an investigation was underway after speaking to the alleged victim.

However, they are apparently yet to interview Gascoigne over the incident.

In October, the star also hit the headlines after he was fined and made subject to a restraining order for harassing his ex-girlfriend, Amanda Thomas, and assaulting photographer Steven Shepherd.

The troubled former Tottenham player had pleaded guilty to harassing Ms Thomas by sending her abusive tweets, phone calls and text messages at Bournemouth Magistrates' Court.

He had been previously fined, in July 2013, after assaulting a security guard in Stevenage.

Gascoigne, who retired from football in 2004, was one of the most talented footballers of his generation, playing for Newcastle, Tottenham, Lazio and Rangers as well as the national team.

However, he has been plagued by illness and alcohol addiction since his retirement.

He set a record when he transferred from Tottenham Hotspur to Italian club Lazio for £8.5million in 1992, and is etched in sporting history for crying in front of millions when England failed to make it through to the World Cup Final in 1990.

Fans and celebrity friends have expressed concern about Gascoigne's well-being over the past few years.

He was briefly sectioned for his own safety last October and has had a lengthy battle with alcohol and drugs.

The star has long been battling alcoholism and has checked into rehab seven times during his fight with drink and drugs after repeatedly falling off the wagon.

Earlier this year, he joked about his addiction problems saying: 'I've been on a whiskey diet – I lost three days!'

But, while appearing on BT Sport's Matchday Live With Fletch and Sav show in February, Gascoigne insisted that he hadn't fallen off the wagon and wasn't drinking again.

At one of his lowest points in 2010, Gascoigne arrived at the scene of a six-hour stand-off between police and fugitive gunman Raoul Moat with some chicken and a fishing rod and claimed to be a friend of Moat's.

At the time, the star said: 'He is willing to give in now. I just want to give him some therapy and say 'come on Moaty, it's Gazza'.

In October 2013, he was hospitalised and placed on a three-day emergency detox.

During his time in hospital, he is said to have taken the opportunity to improve his health and fitness by doing up to 800 press-ups, sit-ups and squats every day.

Last November, the star said 'the only person who can save me is me', and vowed to stay on the straight and narrow after listening to doctors' warnings that alcohol will kill him.

And on his recent stage our, he has claimed to be in good health. However, judging by his reported hospitalisation yesterday morning, Gascoigne is yet to conquer his drinking demons.

Champneys Forest Mere is a health resort with award-winning spa facilities and an Alternative Health Clinic featuring a Twilight Rasul Chamber and the country's first Thalassotherapy pool.

Prices for one night at the resort range from £129 to £254.

A spokeswoman for the South East Coast Ambulance Service confirmed that it had responded to a 'medical emergency' in Liphook in the early hours of Saturday morning.