A Laura Ashley boss and his ex-wife who are fighting over tens of millions in a divorce court disagree about the way they lived their lives, a judge has heard.

A Laura Ashley boss and a former beauty queen who have been fighting over money for more than two years following the breakdown of their 43-year marriage should declare an "armistice", a High Court judge has said.

A former beauty queen will have to get by on £45,000 (€60,000) a month following a divorce ruling in London.

The estranged wife of a multi-millionaire Laura Ashley boss told a judge how she owned 1,000 pairs of shoes.

Shares in Laura Ashley hit their highest level in nearly a year today amid speculation that the home furnishings retailer could be taken private.