A MALVERN hotelier who died last year, aged 100, left over half a million pounds in his will.

Reginald Weedon, who lived on Worcester Road, named local organisations including Malvern Sea Cadets and Trinity Church Sunday School among his beneficiaries.

The cadets were given £5,000 and the Sunday school £1,000. The remainder of his finances and possessions were divided between friends and family in the UK and abroad.

Several charities also benefited, including Cancer Research, the British Heart Foundation and St Michael's Hospice, near Hereford.

Lt Tony Barber, commanding officer of Malvern Sea Cadets, said the donation was greatly appreciated.

"Mr Weedon was a supporter within the management side of Malvern Sea Cadets," he said. "I didn't know him personally but our chairman Bob Thomas did.

"We've had some other donations (in wills) but nothing of this size before."

Lt Barber said the money would probably go towards providing training for the cadets.

Mr Weedon, who ran the Aldwyn Tower Hotel for 30 years, died last September, six months after his 100th birthday.