Five Granddaughters Face Hefty Legal Bill Over Disputed Will of Frederick Ward Snr

Five granddaughters who were left only £50 each in their late grandad’s will are now facing a hefty legal bill after their case was thrown out of the High Court. Frederick Ward Snr, who passed away in 2020, decided to cut out his son’s five adult children from his £500,000 will because he was upset that they didn’t visit him often during his later years. The granddaughters, Carol Gowing, Angela St Marseille, Amanda Higginbotham, Christine Ward, and Janet Pett, decided to sue, claiming they deserved their late father’s one-third share of the will. However, the judge ruled that it was rational for the disappointed grandad to cut them out due to their limited contact with him. Now, the five grandchildren are left with a bill of over £220,000 to cover their aunt and uncle’s legal costs as well as their own lawyers’ bills. Despite their claims of undue influence, the court found no evidence to support their allegations. The bitter court battle stemmed from a change in the relationship between the granddaughters and their grandfather, leading to a costly legal dispute.