The first UK divorce to be ordered via the Internet on Christmas Day has been initiated.

A man from Essex has ordered the divorce from his wife through Divorce-Online on the grounds of unreasonable behaviour.

The web designer paid £85 to download legal documentation which will allow him to process a divorce.

Mark Keenan, the managing director of Divorce-Online, said that by Friday December 27, the first working day after Christmas, the man will be able to go to his nearest court and begin divorce proceedings.

Mr Keenan never expected people to order a divorce on Christmas Day when he first set up the site three years ago.

He said: "When we first started we thought no one would buy a divorce on Christmas day."

But the former family lawyer is not surprised - divorces are often ordered online on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day and January is the busiest month for the company, he said.

"January is the busiest time of year because Christmas brings relationship problems to a head. If people are stressed about things they make a decision in the New Year to bring an end to it."

Mr Keenan, 35, who is married with one daughter, won a £50 bet thanks to his first online Christmas divorce.

He said: "We have a book running as to whether anyone will buy a divorce on Christmas Day and this year I am winning."