Taxi driver Don Pratt retired from work after a regular passenger left him a £250,000 TIP – in her WILL.
Cabbie Don, 65, spent 20 years ferrying pensioner Mary Watson to and from her local shops in Newquay, Cornwall.
He picked her up from her house and took her wherever she needed to go – until her death aged 86 early this year.
But Mary, in her 80s, left her favourite taxi driver one final large tip – a quarter of a million pounds.
Mary left Don her whole estate which included a small house and -savings – worth a total of over £250,000.
Father-of-four Don, a taxi driver for 30 years, has now retired thanks to Mary’s last act of generosity.
He said: ”She was always a good tipper in life and she’s was an even better tipper when she went.
”I knew Mary for 20 years. She was a very nice lady and was always very generous.
”We would always have a good chat while I ferried her around. One day she said to me ‘when I pass on I’ll look after you’.
”I took it with a pinch of salt at the time – I had no idea she was going to leave me a fortune.
”When I was told she had left everything to me I just couldn’t believe it. We were sad to hear she had passed but thankful she had left us this money.
”We are very grateful for her generosity. In nearly 30 years as a cabbie, this is certainly the biggest tip I’ve ever had.”
Don, married to Gill, 63, took Mary to the shops every day while she was alive until a few years ago when she moved to Northampton.
He said: ”She moved away to Northampton and later went into a care home and we lost contact completely.
”But obviously she always remembered me and left me one last big tip. She left me everything – her whole estate.
”I’m not sure what family she had or how they feel about it but the solicitor was clear in that she wanted me to have what she left behind.
”This money means that we can retire and go travelling. We want to go around England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland – to start with anyway.
”I’ve had a great time being a taxi driver. I’ve been all over the country delivering people. I’m going to miss them.
”Mary was a very nice person, everybody liked her and at her funeral so many people had lovely things to say about her.”
