Jimmy Savile leaves £5 million in charity accounts

The eccentric millionaire, who received royalties from TV shows he created, including Jim’ll Fix It, and who made about £10,000 a pop for public appearances, had already donated £45 million to charities during his lifetime.

The Jimmy Savile Charitable Trust contains around £3.6m and the Jimmy Savile Stoke Mandeville Hospital Trust has £1.6m, according to reports published by the Charity Commission.

Sir Jimmy was found dead at his penthouse flat in Leeds, on October 29, two days before his 85th birthday, and was given a extravagant three-day send-off.

As well as his flat in Leeds, he owned another in Scarborough, which he had bought for his mother; a flat at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, a picturesque cottage in Glencoe, Scotland, a flat in central London and a home in Bournemouth.

The executors of his will are currently collating his assets and possessions and it is believed that some of his nostalgic items such as his famous tracksuits could be auctioned off for charity.

The personal details of Sir Jimmy’s will have yet to be announced.

Sir Jimmy helped to establish and fund the National Spinal Injuries unit at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, initially raising about £20m. He continued to help fund equipment until he died.

The unit opened in Aylesbury, Bucks, in 1983 after a storm damaged wooden huts which had housed patients with spinal injuries. His commitment to the cause stemmed from his own experience of the condition, having damaged his spine in a mining accident.

Sir Jimmy had been drafted as a Bevin Boy to work in the mines during the Second World War and spent years after the accident learning to walk again. He went on to run numerous marathons for good causes.

In total he raised a further £25m for other charities and was given a knighthood in 1990 in recognition of his charity work.

A spokesman for Stoke Mandeville said: “Sir Jimmy has been a great supporter of Stoke Mandeville Hospital for decades.

“He was tireless in his attempts to fundraise for the hospital and was integral in the creation of the National Spinal Injuries Centre that we have today.

“Sir Jimmy will be sorely missed by staff and patients alike.”

A spokesman for Leeds Teaching Hospitals said: “Sir Jimmy had a long-standing and very personal relationship with all Leeds hospitals and particularly with Leeds General Infirmary, where he started work as a volunteer porter back in the 1960s.

“He supported numerous of our hospital charities and wards and gave unstintingly of his time and met thousands of staff and patients over the years.

“Quite simply, our hospitals won’t be the same without him and he is already hugely missed.

“We are sure, however, that his legacy will live on for many years to come, notably in the Savile Institute for heart research which is being set up at LGI in his memory following a generous bequest from his estate.”