Divorced Austrian couple splits house into two

An Austrian couple who got divorced but did not want to part with their house have reached a bizarre compromise by splitting the house into two with a concrete wall separating the two sections, media reported on Tuesday.

The married couple in their mid-40s from Burgenland state could not agree on who should get the house they had bought together, The Local news portal reported.

Their lawyer, Katharina Braun, said that after prolonged negotiations they found a "unique solution".

"They decided to separate the house and the garden with a wall down the middle, and each continues to live in his and her half," Braun told the Heute daily.

The judge at their divorce hearing was surprised by their decision and asked if they were sure it was a good idea.

However, the couple did not seem to be living amicably as they have been back in court to fight over who gets the swimming pool and who gets the carport.

There has also been some competition over who can throw the best barbecue, the lawyer added.