A BELOVED grandad left more than just memories when his family had an unexpected £5,000 windfall on the day of his funeral.

Peter Crowe’s loved ones placed a £105 accumulator bet on four horses, based on names which all had some significance.

And soon Angelic Lord, Mecca's Angel, Celestial Knights and Grandad’s Horse all turned out to be winners...bagging £5,080!

The loved ones took it as a sign 87- year-old Peter, a horse racing fanatic from Benfleet, was looking down on them – and smiling.

The bet was the idea of family friend Paul Day, who popped into the bookies on the way to Peter’s funeral, which took place at Southend Crematorium, in Sutton Road, Southend, on Wednesday, September 10. Mr Day, who works as a broker in London, said: “I just couldn’t believe it when I saw that all four horses had actually won their races and the amount of money that had been raised!

“I’m not into horse racing at all so I had no idea what I was doing.

“For those that believe in the afterlife, there’s a very good chance that Peter was looking over my shoulder that day!”

Daughter Sue Verner, 58, who runs The Arlington Rooms, in London Road, Leigh, said: “Several of our friends and family had placed bets on the horse called Grandad’s Horse that day, and it was right at the back of the race then it suddenly just came forward and won.

"The whole experience was just wonderful.”

Mr Crowe was diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy in January, eight months before he passed away.

The windfall was donated to the PSP Association, the charity which supported them while Mr Crowe was battling the rare neurological condition.

The condition, which is similar to parkinson's disease, is caused by the gradual death of nerve cells in the brain.

There is no known cause, cure or treatment.

The average life expectancy is seven years from the start of symptoms, but sufferers are often diagnosed a long time after developing the condition.

Echo: Wins - the betting slip