AN ONLINE divorce service which attracted a storm of criticism when it launched has celebrated its fifth birthday and is preparing to rebrand.

Divorce-Online was set up in Swindon by Mark Keenan in May 2000. It has now processed more than 20,000 divorce petitions.

When it launched it was the focus of sustained attacks from religious groups and the Solicitors' Family Law Association, which said it could lead to further heartbreak.

But now the website, which is based at Alexander House in Fleming Way, Swindon and handles more than one in 50 divorces in the country and is estimated to have saved more than £16.5 million in legal fees, is one of the most established legal services sites on the web.

Managing director Mark Keenan said: "We had no idea when we started it that it would be so successful we hoped it would work and it's just taken off.

"We were lucky that it was an existing business model, and that it was not a dotcom that was completely new. People soon realised it was straightforward and easy."

Among Divorce-Online's clients have been famous singers, actors, and even a porn star.

Mr Keenan said: "I call it 'commoditising' the service putting it into a package.

"It enables people to do it for a lot less, and we've noticed that solicitors are not charging as much as they were."

And since the divorce website was launched, two other services have been added to the roster. www.willyouever.co.uk encourages people to make a will, and www.officialrecords.co.uk obtains birth, marriage, death and divorce certificates.

Mr Keenan said there are plans to start a new service for changing names by deed poll, and the whole site will be brought under the title Online Legal Services.

There are four full-time staff and a network of legal experts and solicitors across the country who can be called on when needed.

In December Divorce-Online hit the headlines in Swindon when the borough council banned an advert for a £23.99 divorce with the slogan "Freedom is just a click away" from appearing on the sides of black cabs. The council said it did not want to endorse "the wrong type of message".