A LAW firm with offices in Swindon is offering a new approach to dealing with divorce.

And Thring Townsend has one of the first lawyers in the country to be trained in the new process, called Collaborative Law. It seeks to do away with the confrontational "see you in court" attitude and both clients and solicitors sign a binding agreement to avoid going to court.

Unlike mediation, which involves an independent third party, the new system relies on the two clients and their solicitors only.