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I had always understood that if a beneficiary of a will or a family member also witnessed the will, then the will was still valid, but the bequest failed. How much more so should this apply to a solicitor (especially an experienced one) who drafted the will in the first place.

Surely Mr Beach had a strong moral and legal obligation to either refuse the work, or refuse to be named as a beneficiary. £50,000 costs is ridiculous, as is £20,000. However, this has the effect of wiping out the inheritance.

A salutary lesson to us all and a tragic shame for a solicitor with an otherwise long and distinguished career.