Neil Diamond fears his girlfriend RACHEL FARLEY has never heard his music properly - she's 70 per cent deaf.

The 64-year-old crooner has kept quiet about his lover's disability but recently opened up while touring England.

He says, "I'm not sure that Rachel can hear any of my music, but she likes me anyway. She does not hear 70 per cent of what goes on around her.

"There are only certain frequencies she can tune into... I can't imagine what she hears when she listens to my songs."

Diamond and Farley, 34, met nine years ago (96) when the veteran hitmaker was touring Australia.

10/06/2005 09:14