Wanganui Mayor Michael Laws, partner separate

Wanganui Mayor Michael Laws and his partner Leonie Brookhammer have separated.

The break-up comes as their four-year-old daughter, Lucy, continues her year-long battle with leukaemia and six months after the birth of the couple's son Theo. Their other child is two-year-old Zoe.

Mr Laws and Ms Brookhammer had been together for seven years and have children from previous relationships, The Dominion Post reported.

In a short statement on his personal website, Mr Laws confirmed the separation and said he and Ms Brookhammer "remain committed to caring for their three children. It changes nothing in terms of our love and devotion for our beautiful children".

Ms Brookhammer declined to comment.

- NZPA