SHAN Lambert, former wife of the founder of the Adscene newspaper group, has won recognition for marital equality by winning a record-breaking £10 million divorce deal.

Harry Lambert was ordered to pay half the estimated £20 million he was paid for the Canterbury-based group, sold to an investment group for £75m.

Mrs Lambert, 50, insisted at the Court of Appeal that a previous £7m settlement did not reflect the equal contribution she had made to his business success.

According to The Daily Mail, Mr Lambert claimed that he "deserved the lion's share because he had established the company on his own and its success was based on his drive and initiative.”

The divorcee was married to Mr Lambert for 23 years. In a previous hearing at the High Court, she was granted the marital home--Ringleton Manor, near Sandwich, Kent, worth £1.4 million--and the neighbouring Ringleton Lodge, worth £250,000. She was also allowed to keep assets worth £2.8 million and was given a lump sum of £3,152,732.

Three appeal judges increased her lump sum to £5,751,474 or whatever amount was necessary to ensure she had a half share of the wealth created during the marriage.

Her solicitor said it was an "historic decision" that would eliminate discrimination in divorce. But another legal expert claimed that each case would be looked at on the facts.