THEY came, they queued, but they didn’t see a lot. Hundreds of disappointed fans – mostly young girls with mums– were left down in the mouth when Katie Price withdrew from a book signing.

The star had been due at WH Smith at Bournemouth’s Castlepoint on Saturday morning to promote her latest novel Sapphire.

At noon the store announced that Katie would not arrive for another hour because of a “dental emergency” and fans were moved back outside the store into queues spanning two floors.

At 12.50pm they were told that the celebrity formerly known as Jordan had to cancel, but she has rescheduled for this Saturday at 11am.

She also pulled out of a later signing at West Quay in Southampton.

Some angry fans even ripped up copies of the book.

Book publicist Diana Colbert said Katie – who figured prominently in Sunday’s red-top tabloids – had stayed in Bournemouth overnight and had been on her way to the book signing when one of her veneers came off. She had been chewing a piece of gum.

Dr Christopher Manlow of Ocean Dental Care in Bournemouth said he could help but Katie would need anaesthetic for the procedure.

“Finding an emergency dentist in a town where you don’t know anyone is quite hard,” said Diana.

She added: “It’s one of the front veneers. She doesn’t feel she could make the appearance when one side of her face would be numb.”

Other reports yesterday claimed her publicist also feared the celeb had swine flu.

Many fans had queued from the early hours – some since 3am.

Carl Mitchell, a 25-year-old drayman, and girlfriend Emma O’Connor, 21, a factory worker from Tamworth set out at 3.45am and drove 170 miles to get three books signed. Miss O’Connor said: “I’m very upset and disappointed.”

Julian Singh, 25, from Charminster, who got up at 5.30am to queue on behalf of his girlfriend said: “My girlfriend was on her way here. She was a little bit upset.”

Chelsea Gibbs, 17, of West Moors, said: “I’m a bit annoyed, but what can you do about it? It’s a letdown.”