LOONY Lord Tiverton, who died last year, has left his £500,000 fortune to his family.

The eccentric Hastings resident, who was chairman of Screaming Lord Sutch's Monster Raving Loony Party, left an estate of £573,836.

He made his fortune from a chain of health food shops, later buying the title Lord Tiverton of Hastings.

He opened his first shop in Devonshire Road, Bexhill, in 1976 and by 1986 had made £3 million from the sale of his food chain, Nature's Way.

After that he dedicated himself to living the loony lifestyle and had many famous friends, including the renowned madam Cynthia Payne.

Lord Tiverton, whose real name was Derek Howell, died from a mystery illness he had been fighting for more than six months.

Hundreds of mourners lined the streets of Hastings for his funeral in October, all following his instructions to wear colourful clothes as they marched from his home in Old Town to nearby St Clement's Church.

Lord Tiverton's family includes his son Barry, who lives in Mount Street,

Battle.

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