Woman leaves £8 million fortune to charity

Katherine Monica Trickett passed away at Ancaster Court Nursing Home home on February 23 this year.

Staff at the Hastings Road home had no idea of her huge wealth until the details of her will were made public this week. The executor of her will said yesterday the bulk of the 7,834,634 she left will go to 15 charities.

They range from Macmillan Cancer Relief and the British Heart Foundation to the International Donkey Trust and the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings.

Mrs Trickett moved to Ancaster Court from a rest home in Eastbourne after she became frail four years ago.

Raymond Downing had been Mrs Trickett's accountant for the last 25 years and took full control of her financial affairs when she became ill.

He said: "We had a professional relationship and I knew very little about her socially other than that she was a lovely lady who was very happy in her later years."

Mr Downing, of Crawley, could not say how Mrs Trickett had acquired her fortune or go into details about her private life. He added: "All I can say is that she was a woman of independent means."

One of the few individuals she left money to, who has not been named, is thought to be Mrs Trickett's sole living relative, said Mr Downing. But he said over eight years of dealing with her correspondence, she did not appear to be in contact with any relatives.

A member of staff at Ancaster Court said: "I don't remember any relatives. We had no idea she was so wealthy.

"Obviously we don't get involved in our residents' financial affairs, just so long as the bills are paid and they always were with Mrs Trickett."

Mrs Trickett was originally from Fulham, west London, but moved to Eastbourne later in life. Mr Downing and Gordon Young, another chartered accountant, have been granted probate.