London, Jan 4 (ANI): A new survey has shown that January 4, 2010 is the day that sees more petitions for break-ups and divorces than any other time of the year.

The survey showed one in five couples are on the verge of splitting up, and law firms are bracing themselves for a record festive fall-out, with more than three-quarters of divorce lawyers predicting this will be a bumper year for break-ups.

The poll by www.Take LegalAdvice.com was conducted on Britain’s top 100 divorce lawyers, and it predicts that inquiries about relationship difficulties following the Christmas and New Year period will be up 40 per cent this year over last.

As the first Monday back after a long and stressful break, many couples make appointments with lawyers as soon as they get back to work, and many do not want to tell their children they are splitting up.

The first week in January has been named as the busiest in the calendar, with the gradual recovery from the recession being blamed as a trigger for the rush.

“These findings reflect what we have been seeing within our practice. As the recession started to bite, divorce inquiries slowed down as couples adopted a ‘wait and see’ approach,” the Daily Express quoted one lawyer as saying.

“Now patience is running thin and many of those stuck in a marital impasse are ready to consider their options, particularly with news headlines predicting an economic recovery this year,” the lawyer added.

The study also revealed that the average length of a marriage is seven years and three months with infidelity cited as the main reason for divorce.

But the research comes with a word of warning.

It states that up to 50 per cent of those getting divorced regret it, with women the happiest after divorce. (ANI)