(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Mel C's friends are helping to look after her daughter so she doesn't feel "shocked" into becoming a single mother.

The Spice Girls star recently split from her long-term partner Thomas Starr after ten years together. The pair have daughter Scarlet together, and in the aftermath of the break-up Mel is said to have turned to her closest friends -including former bandmates Emma Bunton and Geri Halliwell - for support.

"Friends have been supporting Mel through all the pain. They're also helping to look after Scarlet, so it's not such a shock to Mel to suddenly be a single mother," a source told British magazine Closer.

Mel has reportedly been throwing herself into work commitments since the split. The 38-year-old singer is eager to put the past behind her.

"It's helping to take her mind off things," the insider added. "Even though she's gutted she couldn't make it work with Tom, she's relieved there won't be the complications of a divorce and said, 'It could have been worse - I could have married him.'" (C) Cover Media