UPDATE 2-Media drove me "close to suicide" - Heather Mills

(adds McCartney response, final paragraph)

By Mike Collett-White

LONDON, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Heather Mills, estranged wife of former Beatle Paul McCartney, says Britain's tabloid media drove her close to suicide and wrongly cast her as a gold-digger.

Mills appeared on British television on Wednesday to promote a campaign calling for a change in laws governing the media that would offer individuals greater protection, and asked viewers to visit Web site www.youcare.com to sign a petition.

"I've had 18 months of absolute abuse," Mills told GMTV in an interview during which she fought back tears several times.

"They've called me a whore, a gold-digger, a fantasist, a liar, the most unbelievably hurtful things.

"I've stayed quiet for my daughter. We've had death threats, I've been close to suicide ... I've had worse threats than a paedophile or a murderer and I've done nothing but charity for 20 years," the 39-year-old said.

GMTV said Mills appeared on the show at her own request.

Mills, who has a daughter Beatrice with McCartney, denied reports she had been offered a large financial settlement by the musician in what has become a bitter divorce battle.