Wealthy Sheffield businessman makes fresh offer to baroness in divorce court battle

Mr Justice Holman urged engineering firm boss, and Conservative Party donor, Sir Andrew Cook and interior designer Angelika Hirsch-Stronstorff to reach agreement after being told they had run up £1 million in lawyers' bills, while arguing over less than £2m.

The judge, who is overseeing a trial in the Family Division of the High Court in London - which began on Tuesday and is due to run for two weeks - said they have spent "very, very disproportionate" amounts on legal costs. He urged them to reach a settlement and put their fight "to bed."

Sir Andrew and Baroness Hirsch-Stronstorff returned to court on Thursday and the trial is continuing.

But lawyers representing Sir Andrew told a judge he had made his ex-wife a fresh proposal.

Evidence shows Sir Andrew - chairman of William Cook, a firm based just off the Sheffield Parkway, which produces components for the rail, energy and defence industries - is worth about £25m and Baroness Hirsch-Stronstorff about £4m, the judge has said. He has been told no-one is arguing their combined wealth should be shared. Lawyers representing Baroness Hirsch-Stronstorff told the judge on Tuesday that she wants to walk away with £2.8m.

Sir Andrew - who was treasurer of the Conservative In campaign which sought to keep the UK in the European Union at the 2016 referendum - had made an initial offer of £1m.

That offer had been rejected. Lawyers representing Baroness Hirsch-Stronstorff said that offer would leave her with about £500, 000, because of tax implications.

On Wednesday, the judge was told Sir Andrew had made a second offer which he said would leave Baroness Hirsch-Stronstorff with £2m.

Sir Andrew's lawyers said that offer came with a deadline and it would remain on the table until they began to question Baroness Hirsch-Stronstorff during the trial.

Baroness Hirsch-Stronstorff rejected that offer.

On Thursday, lawyers said Sir Andrew had made a third proposal. He would extend the deadline and leave his £2m offer, under which he would pay tax, on the table until the trial reached the point where the judge was ready to deliver a ruling.

Baroness Hirsch-Stronstorff has not accepted the offer.