Michael Owen’s daughter Gemma says he was “tough” and refused to fund her bikini line after she “ran out of money”.

MICHAEL Owen’s daughter Gemma has slammed trolls who accused her of using her dad’s money to fund her new bikini line.

The 18-year-old decided to switch careers during lockdown and said she used birthday money to build the business.

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But the teenager, who has represented Britain in dressage, denied she has direct access to her former England hero father’s vast wealth.

She said: “I often get negative comments and bad news.

“When I’m doing well in dressage I get comments like ‘You’re only doing well because Dad bought you an expensive horse’ and then when I’m trying to start my own business I get ‘You’re using Dad’s ‘ Money.”

“It’s constant, but I want to make it clear to people that it wasn’t an open wallet with the business side of things.

“I got some money as a gift for my birthday and that was my budget. I ran out of that quickly and there are so many more things I want to do with the brand but now I have to wait for the money to come back in.

“I’m very lucky, but I would say my dad wasn’t actually … strict, but he was pretty tough.”

She added to MailOnline: He said this is your budget and I’m not funding it.”

She launched her OG beachwear collection last week, which features sizzling shots of her modeling a multitude of skimpy bikinis.

Gemma’s line includes bikinis from £130 and men’s swim trunks from £110.

Her father Michael, 42, who scored 40 goals for England, gushed about his daughter’s ambition: “I’m damn proud of my daughter.”

Gemma, who has represented Britain in dressage, decided to switch careers during the lockdown.

She said: “My other passions are travel and fashion and that’s how the dream of owning my own swimwear label was born.”

His website promises garments that “exude class and sophistication, with a touch of youth and sexiness.”

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