Singer Vanessa Paradis was so terrified of the barrage of abuse she suffered after shooting to fame; she roamed the streets with a bag over her head as a disguise.

The French star was catapulted to international stardom at the age of 14 when her track Joe le Taxi topped charts around the world.

Nevertheless, the song's popularity sparked a backlash from members of the public, and Paradis has revealed she suffered such horrific abuse she resorted to extreme measures to avoid being recognized.

She tells Live magazine, "I'm used to being bullied. When my first record came out, it was a big success. It was everywhere and no one could escape it, to the point where I became an annoyance.

"Horrible things were said about me. Hateful slogans were painted on the walls outside my house. People would spit at me in the street. It got so bad that I would go out with a bag over my head."

"It wasn't a fun time."