Good news for Paris Hilton, who has had her prison sentence halved and will serve her time - about 23 days in all - in a special segregated unit reserved for celebrities.

The hotel heiress will spend up to 23 hours a day in a two person cell, one of a block of 12 similar cells set aside for prisoners liable to attract too much unwanted attention from ordinary inmates.

Her cellmate, if she has one, could be a police officer, a politician - or another reality TV star.

While behind bars at the Century Regional Detention Center - a 2,200-inmate jail in suburban Lynwood, California, that is liable to be nicknamed the Lynwood Hilton from now on - Hilton will have an hour a day out of her cell to shower, watch television, exercise outside and make phone calls.

The 26-year-old was sentenced to jail this month for driving without a licence while she was still on probation over an alcohol-linked reckless driving conviction.

She remained at liberty while she appealed against her sentence, resulting in today's announcement that her 45-day term was being halved. A judge has ordered her to present herself at prison to start her sentence by June 5.

Los Angeles County sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore said that Hilton's sentence was shortened after jail officials gave her credit for good behaviour. The factors taken into account in calculating the credit included the fact that she bothered to appear for her latest court date, he said.

Earlier this month Hilton posted a plea on her MySpace website, urging fans to sign a petition to pardon her "mistake" because she provides beauty and excitement to "(most of) our otherwise mundane lives".

Fans were encouraged to appeal to Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Governor of California, to keep her out of jail.

She wrote on her blog: "My friend Joshua started this petition, please help and sihn (sic) it. i LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!"

The petition reads: "Paris Whitney Hilton is an American celebrity and socialite. She is an heiress to a share of the Hilton Hotel fortune, as well as to the real estate fortune of her father Richard Hilton. She provides hope for young people all over the U.S. and the world. She provides beauty and excitement to (most of) our otherwise mundane lives."

It adds: "We, the American public who support Paris, are shocked, dismayed and appalled by how Paris has been the person to be used as an example that Drunk Driving is wrong...

"This petition is to ask Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to pardon Paris Hilton for her mistake. Please allow her to her return to her career and life."

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