A PENSIONER left more than £500,000 to the Conservative party in her will as a dying wish.

Gerda Winder, 86, died in April last year after being cared for at Woodlands Residential Home in Colchester.

One of her final wishes was to leave £582,358 to the Tories - the largest donation received by the party this year.

Mrs Winder’s motivation behind leaving the huge sum remains a mystery, with friends describing her as a “very private person.”

It is believed Mrs Winder met her husband, who was serving in the RAF, in Germany, before returning to the UK with him when she was in her 20s.

She had no children but friends and neighbours said she has a brother and sister in Germany.

Julian Boyden, who worked as a gardener at Mrs Winder’s previous home in Oxford Road, Colchester, for more than 30 years, remembered her fondly.

“Most people seemed to know her because she walked a lot,” he said.

“She would walk into town and was often seen walking along the Avenue of Remembrance with her shopping trolley.

“I can picture her now, she was ever so small, no taller than 5ft, but quite nicely spoken.

“I would help her with odd jobs every now and again.

“She seemed like a lonely sort of person, but she was very friendly.”

Former friend and neighbour Joyce Hepburn said she never showed outward signs of supporting the Tories.

“Her husband was in the RAF, I believe they went into business, I think in Chelmsford, when he retired,” she said.

“You don’t talk money with friends, so I didn’t ever hear about it.”

Colchester MP Will Quince described the donation as an “incredible legacy” to leave for the party.

“It is a simply incredible thing to do,” he said.

“I spoke to old members of the Conservative association and a lot of people know of her, but didn’t know her personally.”

Mr Quince said the money will go into a central fund.