A retired, 76-year-old man has pleaded in court for a divorce from his wife of 50 years, due to a 'sexless' marriage, but was turned down, according to local reports.

The man, identified in local newspapers by his surname Ma, complained that he had not slept with his wife for years, the China Daily reported.

Instead, he said, he wished to live with his girlfriend, who is thirty years younger and able to offer him a more 'sexual' relationship.

The court, in south-west China's Chongqing city, rejected the request, arguing that the love tying the couple together must be strong and stable since they had remained married for half a century.