The daughter of a woman who left nearly all her £486,000 fortune to animal charities has won her appeal for a share of the estate.
The deceased had given specific instructions to her executors to defend any challenge to her will that may be brought by her daughter who had run away from home at 17 to live with her boyfriend.
The daughter claimed reasonable provision from her mother's estate and although she was initially awarded £50,000 that decision was overturned by the High Court but the Court of Appeal has now found that it was unreasonable for her mother to disinherit her daughter and she can now return the case back to the High Court and seek an even larger share.
Charities are extremely concerned by the decision believing that it will have a devastating impact on charitable giving and potentially open the floodgates for legal challenges from any agrieved relative.
