A WEALTHY widow has left a fortune to animal charities - even though she could not keep pets herself.

Judith Cox lived in a luxury penthouse flat off Hove seafront where residents are banned from keeping pets.

Mrs Cox, who was in her late seventies, left £749,000 in her will, it was revealed yesterday.

The widow, who died in October last year, chose to share the money between

the Horsham-based Cats Protection League and two other animal welfare charities.

The Blue Cross and the International League for the Protection of Horses also benefited from her generosity.

Mrs Cox was married to London architect and

surveyor David Cox and the couple moved to Victoria Court in Grand Avenue, Hove, about 15 years ago.

Residents there described them as a very nice couple who preferred to keep themselves to themselves.

Mr Peter Stuart, chairman of the residents' association, said: "I believe her husband used to enjoy playing bridge but they did not mix all that much.

"Mr Cox was chairman of the residents association and after he died Mrs Cox donated the cost of replacing the carpets in the entrance to the flats which we all thought was very kind of her.

"She had been ill with emphysema for quite some time and needed oxygen to help her to breathe.

"I used to do jobs for her and look after her flat when she went into a nursing home to recuperate from time to time.

"I believe she had a great affection for horses."

A spokeswoman for the Cats Protection League said: "I can confirm that the organisation has been left an amount of money by Mrs Cox, but we are unable to reveal how much that is."

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