House-hunting tycoon sets sights on the Hills

BACK in circulation after a debilitating viral infection that had him alternately on crutches, in a wheelchair and with a walking stick, genial garment and property tycoon Allan Zeman has resumed the familiar routine of zipping in and out of his fleet of Rolls and Mercs.

Allan, who spent a week at the plush Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Beverly Hills (and used the hospital suite normally reserved for regular ''guest'' Elizabeth Taylor), was attended by a team of doctors, including Michael Jackson's personal physician, Dr Allan Metzger.

Meanwhile, his wife Charmaine kept a worried vigil from a luxury suite at the finest hotel in Beverly Hills - Hongkong's very own, The Peninsula, of course.

''After lots of tests the doctors tracked it down to an arthritic gene that I had apparently inherited from my mother,'' Allan explained. ''I was put on a course of strong drugs and, thankfully, am now on the way to complete recovery.'' His ailment surfaced a day or two before last Christmas and he had to be admitted to the Adventist Hospital, from whence he was advised to fly to the United States for further treatment.

In fact, discharging himself on Christmas Day, Allan was so touched by the way the hospital went about its caring work that he immediately wrote a cheque for a seven-figure sum as a donation.

On the subject of Wacko (and never mind about what Elizabeth Taylor had to say) Jacko's doctor - evidently, Dr Metzger mentioned to Allan that the slightest sneeze and Michael was on the telephone to him right away.