Weird World: Millionaire mutt dies

A pampered pooch whose eccentric owner bequeathed her $12m has died aged 12, ending one of the weirdest cases of contested inheritance ever.

When US hotel magnate Leona Helmsley died in 2007, she left £12m (£7.3m) to her Maltese dog Trouble.

Unsurprisingly, Helmsley's four grandchildren were more than a little miffed by the snub.

Two of her grandchildren were cut out of the will for no known reason, and two others were promised $5m each but only if they promised to visit their father's grave every year.

The majority of Helmsley's fortune, a cool $8bn, went to charity.

The family contested the will and a New York judge ruled Helmsley had been mentally unstable when she made her will.

Even so, Trouble, who was notorious for biting anyone other than her madcap mistress, still received a £2m piece of the pie.

Following Trouble's death in December, her personal fortune has reverted to charity.

Since Helmsley's death, lived in the lap of luxury, retiring in the Helmsley Sandcastle Hotel, Sarasota, Florida.

The millionaire mutt required $8,000 worth of grooming alone and per year. She was fed fresh chicken and vegetables prepared by the hotel's chef, costing another $1,200 per year.

Around $90,000 per year was spent on security services for the cosseted canine, who was at risk from dog-napping and death threats.

Helmsley had also dictated in her will that she wanted to be reunited with her pet after death and have Trouble buried beside her.

However, her last wish was thwarted by cemetery rules barring animals.