A former Shropshire councillor is facing a court battle over the home her late son shared with his gay partner.

Dr Jenny Collingridge, pictured, has been issued with a writ by the High Court.

The action is over the London home the couple lived in together for five years.

Richard Napier-Kemp, the former partner of Dr Collingridge’s son Ian, claims he is entitled to a half share of the home.

Mr Collingridge died in March this year without making a will, and now Mr Napier-Kemp is suing Dr Collingridge, of Station Road, Ditton Priors, near Bridgnorth, for half of the property.

According to the writ the two men had lived together in London for about five years. The property in Effingham Road, Hornsey, had been bought in 2004 for £273,000.

Mr Napier-Kemp claims although the house was bought in Mr Collingridge’s name, he is entitled to a half of its £342,500 value, because they had agreed they would share the house equally.

They had planned to sell Mr Napier-Kemp’s house at Benedictine Gate, Cheshunt, and buy a holiday home in France where they would be able to retire, the court will hear.

Mr Napier-Kemp claims Mr Collingridge would not have been able to afford the property in Effingham Road had it not been for his contributions. He says he also paid £100 a month into Mr Collingridge’s bank account so that he could begin to pay off his credit card debt.

The writ states Mr Collingridge told his partner and their friends he planned to leave his share of the house to Mr Napier-Kemp, and led Mr Napier-Kemp to believe he had made a will to that effect.