A 99-year-old man and his wife are set to become the world’s oldest divorcees after he filed for divorce after 77 years of marriage because of her affair – 60 years ago.

The unnamed Italian man, described only as Antonio C in court papers released in Rome, discovered his wife’s secret infidelity after going through an old chest of drawers, where he found a collection of hidden love letters from his wife’s lover all those years ago.

Enraged, the elderly man confronted her and demanded a divorce, despite his 96-year-old wife, Rosa C, trying to persuade him to reconsider his decision, according to the Telegraph.

Although unusual, this isn’t the first time the Italian couple’s marriage has hit a bad spell during their later age. Ten years ago Antonio briefly left their marital home for a few weeks after an argument.

But it seems that the illicit love letters from yesteryear were the final straw…

The couple has now unwittingly set a new record as the oldest divorcees – beating the previous record holder, Bertie and Jessie Wood, both aged 98.

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The average couple spend just 30 minutes together a day
Recession blamed for surge in divorce cases