French supermodel Noemie Lenoir was recovering in hospital tonight after being found unconscious beside a pile of pills and an empty spirits bottle after apparently trying to commit suicide.

The 30-year-old, who has become a household name in the UK after spearheading an advertising campaign for Marks & Spencer, was found lying in a forest in La Celle-Saint-Cloud, on the outskirts of Paris.

She is believed to have started taking a potentially deadly cocktail of alcohol and drugs at the £1million detached home of her ex-boyfriend Claude Makelele, the ex-Chelsea football star who is father to their son, Kelyan, five.

Drastic action: Noemie Lenoir, pictured here in a campaign for M&S, has been found unconscious after apparently trying to commit in suicide Paris

Ms Lenoir originally called the emergency services herself on Sunday afternoon, saying she ‘felt very ill’, but then made a second call cancelling an ambulance.

She was then seen staggering towards the nearby wood, where she was found by a passer-by out walking his dog.

‘After coming to, Noemie was in a state of great distress and clearly very ill,’ said a source close to the model.

‘She had clearly attempted to harm herself and had fallen unconscious,’ said the source, who said the pills and empty bottle were lying next to Ms Lenoir.

Turbulent relationship: The model has a five-year-old son with her on-off boyfriend Claude Makelele, the ex-Chelsea football star

‘She was rushed to a nearby hospital and treated for the effects of poisoning. It seems that she may have tried to commit suicide as a cry for help. She’s now in a far better condition and recovering.’

Police in Paris confirmed the reports, with a spokesman saying: ‘A young woman age 30 was found unconscious in La Celle-Saint-Cloud on Sunday afternoon.

Her new boyfriend, Swiss millionaire Carl Hirschmann, is involved in a sex and extortion scandal

'She was rushed to hospital for treatment for the effects of an overdose. She is now recovering well.’

Ms Lenoir and Makelele have had a turbulent relationship since they started going out in 2003, but last night it appeared that the footballer may not even have been at home when the overdose drama took place.

Instead, he was at ceremony in central Paris, picking up a lifetime achievement award for a career which saw him represent France on numerous occasions.

Friends suggested that Ms Lenoir’s turmoil may well have been linked to her relationship with multi-millionaire Carl Hirschmann, who is involved in a sex and extortion scandal in Switzerland.

Hirschmann, 29, who dated Paris Hilton in 2003, is on £300,000 bail in Zurich, but Ms Lenoir regularly visits him there.

‘Noemie is extremely worried about Carl and has been suffering extreme angst,’ said another source in Paris.

‘Her relationship with Claude Makelele is important to her, but only because he is the father of her child. The real love of her life at the moment is Carl.’

Hirschmann, a notorious playboy, has been accused by police of being involved in orgies with young models whom he is said to have plied with vodka-based cocktails called ‘Love Potion’ before videoing them in depraved sex acts.

He is accused of blackmailing the models with the X-rated tapes from the CCTV camera - demanding huge amounts of cash in return for not posting them on the internet. He denies the accusations.

Hirschmann was arrested in April for two separate offences of having sex with a minor and a third charge of forcing someone, not necessarily a minor, of committing a sex act against their will.

The offences are understood to have been allegedly committed during orgies at a club run by Hirschmann.

Hirschmann was released on bail by a judge who had decided that there was no risk of him either reoffending or absconding before his trial.

Household name: Noemie in a Christmas advert for M&S with, from left, Erin O'Connor, Twiggy and Myleene Klass

Ms Lenoir is known to have been hugely upset by the claims, as have her bosses at High Street giants Marks & Spencer, who rewarded her with a £10 million contract for her advertising work.

‘Hirschmann can’t leave Switzerland while he is under investigation, so Noemie is spending all of her spare time going to see him, flying to Zurich at every opportunity,’ Noemie’s friend explained.

‘Knowing that he’s involved with the police and investigating judges in such a serious case is tearing her apart.’

Despite widespread reports that Lenoir was married to Makelele, she is in fact single.

Cry for help: The model was rushed to hospital after taking a potentially deadly cocktail of alcohol and drugs at Makelele's home

In a blog in 2009 she wrote: ‘I’m not and have never been married. I do have a son. I have a wonderful baby’s father and have a great relationship with him, however I’ve been single for some time now.’

A M&S spokesman said: 'We're very sorry to hear this and wish Noemie a very speedy recovery. 'Our thoughts are with her and her family at this difficult time.'

There was no initial comment from either Ms Lenoir, or Makelele.

Stunning: Pictured, left, on a photoshoot on Miami Beach in December 2008 and, right, in another ad campaign for M&S