London, July 27: An elderly British man who lived in a run-down house, bought second-hand clothes and watched television at his neighbor's to save on electricity left a million pounds to a dog charity, newspapers reported on Friday. Joseph Leek, who died at 90, left 1.1 million pounds ($1.77 million) to the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, but nothing to his two daughters who had no idea of their late father's wealth.
"We couldn't believe he had such a fortune. He wouldn't do any repairs on the house and he wouldn't spend on anything that he considered unnecessary," daughter Patricia Pilgrim told the newspaper.
Pilgrim, who looked after Leek for his final 10 years, said her father would visit his neighbor's terraced house because he "would much prefer to use her electricity than his own."
Pilgrim said she and her sister Josephine were disappointed to have missed out on their father's legacy, but respected his decision to give the money to charity.
"What he has given them is marvelous and I'm very proud of him."
Leek secretly amassed his fortune in the stock market.