eldest son Georg for the control of a trust fund worth $2.7 billion will start again today after the Christmas recess.

Michael Crystal QC, for the baron, will continue his opening case with a summary of events so far.

The trial started in October and although Mr. Crystal's opening was supposed to last six weeks, the detailed legal technicalities and lengthy documents have seen the process stretch out beyond this time frame.

The case is expected to last several years and whatever the outcome, both sides are believed to be willing to appeal any decision to the highest levels.

The baron is suing his son for control of the business in the Supreme Court in Hamilton because the trust they are battling over was set up in Bermuda under the Island's laws.

The trust's main asset is the Thyssen-Bornemisza Group, an industrial conglomerate that earned $100 million last year.

The 78-year-old baron claims his son owes him $232 million in arrears with inflation and loss of value.

The trial is believed to be costing an estimated $600,000 a week with huge teams of lawyers on each side battling over the Thyssen-Bornemisza millions.

Before the trial even started, pre-trial wrangles were fought out in chambers for almost a year. The judgment on an appeal on a decision to allow documents between the baron, his fifth wife Carmen `Tita' Cervera, a former Miss Spain and their lawyer to be entered as evidence is still pending.

A crack team of London and Bermudian lawyers have been working around the clock to prepare evidence based on thousands of documents to be used in the court case.

The lawyers for the baron have said that they will bring Georg, also known as Heini Jr, to the stand to testify.

Ironically the trust was set up in order that there were no family wrangles over the baron's fortune and that all his children became the beneficiaries of his fortune.

According to Mr. Crystal one of the reasons for setting up the trust in 1983 was to stop his fourth wife getting her hands on his millions.