York County Court was among 137 courts across England and Wales targeted by international divorce fraudsters, the Family Court heard in London.

The country's top family law judge, Sir James Munby, dismissed 180 divorce petitions and cancelled all divorce decrees granted in connection with them.

They included a case at York. The cases often involved Italian partners and 179 of the applicants and respondents claimed to live at a flat called Flat 201 in Maidenhead, which in reality was a mailbox.

In his judgement, Sir James, President of the Family Division, said: "Indeed, given the dimensions of the mail box it is clear that not even a single individual, however small, could possibly reside in it."

English courts can only consider divorce cases if one or both partners habitually live in England.

Speaking after the case, Catherine Jones, the head of family law at JMW Solicitors, said: "In Italy, it can take more than three years from the start of a divorce until the finish and, it would appear, that might be too long for a considerable number of people.

"Due to the fact that courts in Italy and elsewhere will recognise a British divorce, I would suggest that this is possibly a broader European problem which will need to be addressed."