The widow of an Olympic fencer who body doubled as James Bond and trained Orlando Bloom for Pirates of the Caribbean has won an £800,000 inheritance battle against her stepson. 

Karen Paul, 49, took her claim to the High Court in central London after she was horrified to discover her late husband Steven Paul had practically left her out of his will - despite the fact that she gave up her corporate career to care for him when he was struck down by motor neurone disease in 2018. 

Mr Paul, who died aged 64 in 2019 following a fall while on holiday in Spain, had only left his wife of 23 years around £1,000 worth of household items. 

The Hollywood swordsman, who doubled for Pierce Brosnan in a fencing scene in Die Another Day, had left everything else between the two sons of his first marriage and the two daughters he had with Mrs Paul, including the £700,000 home in which she still lives in East Sussex.

Following a legal battle, Mrs Paul is now in line for a half share of the house when it is sold in three years' time, with her four children and step-children sharing the rest.

Only one of Mr Paul's children, James Paul, from his first marriage, had objected to Mrs Paul's claim, complaining that he had been left strapped for cash following the Covid pandemic and had been living in his car - arguing he could not wait three years for the property to be sold.  

But his argument was rejected by the court, which said it was 'surprising' that Mr Paul's will cut out his wife, since they had enjoyed a 'happy marriage' until he died