THE WHO - PETE TOWNSHEND'S EX LAUNCHES CASH FIGHT!

THE WHO rocker PETE TOWNSHEND is facing a $58 million court battle after his estranged wife hired SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY's divorce lawyer to fight for a share of his fortune.

The My Generation hitmaker split from Karen Astley in 1994 but they stayed married and remained good friends. But in a court hearing in London on Tuesday (07Apr09), the couple were granted the first stage of a divorce - with Astley stating she considers Townshend's behaviour "no longer tolerable".

And there are now signs she intends to battle for a sizable cut of the guitarist's fortune after it emerged she has hired Fiona Shackleton, the lawyer who represented former Beatle MCCartney in his bitter divorce from Heather Mills. Reports in the U.K. speculate that Shackleton will build a case for Astley based on her supporting the rocker as his career took off, and sticking by him during his fight against drug addiction. Townshend married Astley in 1968 after meeting her at art college several years previously. He currently lives with musician Rachel Fuller.