Judge in WWII hero estate dispute criticises homemade wills

A judge has criticised the decision of a World War Two bomber pilot to make a will without help from solicitors, after its vague wording caused legal confusion.

William Higham's family took his will to the High Court to clarify the deceased's wish to leave £2 million of his £7 million fortune to the Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust, on the condition bands performed at the city's Mesnes Park bandstand.

Having scrutinised the homemade will, written in 2008, Mr Justice Mann ruled the money should be used to bring bands to play at the park.

After validating the gift, Mr Mann said: "The will was homemade, without the assistance of solicitors; the result demonstrates what a bad idea it is for a layman to do that, and has led to the expenditure of considerable costs."

Mr Higham had not been pleased that bands had been forced to stop playing in the park due to council expenses, claim his family.

Published by Tessa Jones