TOM CRUISE has been spending his spare time downing pints of bitter in English pubs while his estranged wife NICOLE KIDMAN cavorts in on the Fijian island of Wakaya with RUSSELl CROWE.

The mission impossible (1996) star, who is reportedly jetting off to island to confront Nicole over the liaison, was spotted studying memorabilia about Britain's most terrible lifeboat tragedy in the corner of The Taps pub in Lancashire yesterday (13JUL01).

Taps regular DAVID ROBINSON says, "He spent most of his time reading about the history of the lifeboat. He seemed captivated by it all. The tragedy is a story of love lost and found, huge storms and great heroism. Perhaps he will make a movie about it. " (RM/WNTST/RP)

Source: WENN