As New Year arrived, 35-year-old Tracy Morter knew she needed to make some big changes in her life.

And her biggest decision was to split from Jon, her partner of 15 years and father of her three children.

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She’d tried to hold their relationship together but after spending nearly two weeks rowing over Christmas, their relationship couldn’t be saved.

And Tracy is far from alone. Once the festive season has ended, divorce lawyers in the UK brace themselves for January and a 30 per cent surge in appointment requests - making it Britain's bleakest month of the year for marriages.

The first day back at work after the festive season is even dubbed ‘divorce day', as solicitors are so busy.

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As wedding photographer Tracy Morter explains: “Over Christmas 2012 I realised I was miserable at the one time of year when everyone is supposed to be merry. Our Christmas was filled with rows and I felt snappy and angry.

“I wanted to be happy and jolly like the perfect family, but it hit me that I just didn’t love my husband any more and didn’t want to spend the rest of my life with him.

“It wasn’t a snap decision, we’d known our relationship was in injury time - we’d tried date nights and counselling. But nothing worked. I vowed things had to change in the New Year so we split up at the end of January.”

**Read more of Tracy's story in Closer, out now. **