Woman arrested after fight for 79-year-old peer's 'affections'

A jealous "wifelet" of the practising polygamist Lord Bath has been arrested after fighting with a love rival, it was revealed yesterday.

Police were called to the 18th-century stately home of Longleat, Wiltshire, in the middle of the night after allegations of a serious domestic assault. Officers found two female guests rowing over the affections of Alexander Thynn, the 79-year-old 7th Marquess of Bath.

One woman was arrested on suspicion of actual bodily harm and the other taken to hospital with cuts and a suspected broken nose.

A source said that the women had been fighting over who "should sleep with the peer".

Wiltshire Police confirmed the facts of the "altercation".