Ronnie Wood has split from girlfriend Ana Araujo.

The Rolling Stones guitarist has taken a "sabbatical" from the model - who he previously credited with helping him finally achieve sobriety - after nearly two years together.

He told the Daily Mail newspaper: "I'm taking a sabbatical from her.

"I'm like Picasso, painting up the ladder after leaving his mistress at the bottom after a row."

The 64-year-old musician - who began dating the 32-year-old beauty in January 2010, one month after his split from cocktail waitress Ekaterina Ivanova - was said to be "frustrated" that Ana had a keen desire to be in the public eye.

A friend explained: "She would try and drag him along to the opening of an envelope."

Ronnie's most recent public appearances have been without Ana at his side.

He was accompanied to the premiere of George Harrison's film 'Living in the Material' by Pattie Boyd - the late Beatles star's ex-wife, who Ronnie had an affair with in 1973 - earlier this month.

On Sunday (09.10.11), he went to the London wedding reception of Sir Paul McCartney and NANCY SHEVELL with theatre producer Sally Humphreys.

Despite being escorted by Sally, the producer insists she is not dating Ronnie.

She said: "No, there is no romance. We are friends and have worked together on Ronnie's box sets."

When asked where Ana was, she replied: "I don't know about that, it's not my bag."

A spokesman for Ronnie declined to comment on his break-up, but a friend added: "It's true. Ronnie has split from Ana."

Ronnie - who was married to model Krissy Findlay for seven years until 1978 - divorced Jo Wood, his wife of 24 years, in January. The pair broke up when he fled to Ireland for a 10-day drinking binge with Ekaterina in July 2008.

It had been speculated that Ronnie and Ana would marry, despite their volatile romance hit with many reports of difficulties.