Singer Cheryl Cole files for divorce

Cheryl Cole has filed for a divorce from her footballer husband Ashley.

Cheryl Cole has filed for a divorce from her footballer husband Ashley.

The 26-year-old X Factor judge cited "unreasonable behaviour" as the reason for the break-up in papers filed at the High Court in London, reports said.

Their split was announced in February after claims that the England and Chelsea player had been unfaithful during the couple’s three-and-a-half-year marriage.

Cheryl, who topped the charts with Fight For This Love, stuck by her husband after allegations of his infidelity surfaced two years ago.

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But further claims that his mobile phone had been used to send saucy photos to a glamour model and indulge in “text sex”, plus further kiss-and-tell stories, appeared to have been too much of a strain on the relationship.

The divorce is expected to go through before Ashley features in the England team during the World Cup in South Africa this summer.

Girls Aloud singer Cheryl had spoken in interviews about one day wanting to start a family with her husband.

But the marriage looked rocky after just 18 months. Two women sold stories about how they had become involved with the footballer.

She is said to have told her husband the marriage was over by text message.

Before the divorce was announced, publicist Max Clifford described the public nature of the revelations as “incredibly painful but also incredibly humiliating” for Cheryl.

According to the Sun  newspaper, she will let the Chelsea player keep their £6 million mansion in Surrey as part of the deal.