Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal have gone public with their relationship after enjoying a romantic weekend in Rome.

The Oscar-winning beauty and the Brokeback Mountain actor - who have repeatedly denied romance rumours - walked hand-in-hand around the city and onlookers say they seem besotted with each other.

One passer-by said: “They couldn’t keep their hands off each other. At one point, Reese nestled her head into Jake’s shoulder and he tenderly kissed the top of it.”

Reese - whose divorce from Ryan Phillippe was made official earlier this month - first met Jake on the set of their film Rendition.

The pair were said to have grown close as he comforted her over her split from Ryan, father of her two children, Ava, eight, and three-year-old Deacon.

On set sources claimed the Hollywood stars were virtually inseparable, and spent almost all their time between takes together.

However, it was reported the 31-year-old actress soon ended the relationship because she wanted to spend more time with her kids.

Last month, Reese and Jake - who previously dated Kirsten Dunst - were seen chatting intimately at a party.