A MAN has been handed a £250,000 payout by his ex-wife after finding he was not the father of her three sons.

Richard Mason learned she lied about the paternity for 20 years when doctors told him he had been infertile since birth.

He had never doubted he was their biological father until he was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis two years ago — a condition which prevents male sufferers from fathering children naturally.

The 55-year-old wealthy co-founder of internet comparison site MoneySupermarket.com had DNA tests confirming the 19-year-old twins were not his sons.

Their brother, 23, did not provide a sample for a test.

Two of the three have broken off all contact with the man they believed was their father for most of their lives.

His ex-wife, Kate Mason, only confessed to the illicit relationship in 2016 when he confronted her.

That was ten years after they divorced and he had to pay a £4million settlement.

Mr Mason launched a paternity fraud case, which ended a few weeks ago when his ex agreed to pay an out of court settlement.

She decided to hand back a £250,000 portion of the lump sum after he sought to have the divorce financial settlement “set aside”.

However, the legal case allowed her to keep the biological father’s name out of proceedings.

It is not known if he is aware he is the boys’ dad.

Mr Mason, from Rhos, North Wales, told The Mail on Sunday: “You don’t know what’s real and what isn’t — it’s as if I’m living in The Matrix.

“Someone says to you, ‘All you know and everything you thought solid and true is not real, and never did exist. You are not a father, you are not able to have kids, your name will not continue’.

“I still see what the boys are doing on Facebook and it’s heart-wrenching. It’s all been taken away from me.”

Mrs Mason and her sons declined to comment.