Tony Martin, the farmer infamous for killing a teenage burglar, left his entire £2.5m estate to a pub landlady he befriended after he was released from prison, it has been revealed.

The reclusive Mr Martin, who passed away last year at the age of 80, formed a close relationship with Jacqueline Wadsley - known as Jacqui - after his murder conviction for shooting Fred Barrass was overturned. The pair met at the Hare and Hounds pub where Mr Martin would often drink and Jacqui, now 52, served as manager for over a decade.

The pub is a short drive from Bleak House, the notorious location where Mr Martin killed 16-year-old Fred with a pump-action shotgun on 20 August 1999. Despite his past and conviction, it's said that Mr Martin and Jacqui "became like father and daughter", and she was deeply affected by his death in February last year.

Probate documents now reveal that Mr Martin bequeathed his entire estate - totalling £2,567,795 - to Jacqui and her husband, David, 45. The wealth is believed to comprise Bleak House, 350 acres of surrounding land, and property in Australia.

David, who has three children with Jacqui, said: "Tony came into Jacqui's pub which she was running at the time" reports The Mirror.

"It was more than 20 years ago and it's around the time I sort of met Jacqui as well, so that's where the story began. It was after [the shooting] and after Mr Martin had been released from prison.

"It was a slow burner but Jacqui, by her nature, she's a very, very caring person so the friendship just grew. "

"It became something much stronger and ended up being more like a father and a daughter relationship to be honest at the end.

"When questioned whether they anticipated being named as beneficiaries in Mr Martin's will, David responded: "Jacqui was very surprised. When she first met him she had no idea about his farm or his estate and that was never on her mind.

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""It was just her caring nature that was just to look after him and then it just grew from there. It was a shock to find out we had been named in his will.

We're still trying to take it all in really. " It had been assumed that portions of Mr Martin's estate would pass to a relative. However, Mr Martin - who had no children - appears to have excluded his family from his will and probate.He was reportedly completely estranged from his feuding older brother, Robin, and had previously likened their relationship to a "Cain and Abel situation". Following his ostracism after the murder conviction, Jacqui, who resides in Wisbech and now operates as a property landlord, became Mr Martin's sole family. The Mirror understands she was devastated when he died and is reported to have assisted with "medical appointments, accommodation and would be there at all hours of the day" to support Mr Martin. He even attended her marriage blessing when she formally wed David at the Hare and Hounds pub, joined by their daughters and immediate family.David said: "Tony was in the background basically during all our major life events over the last 20 years really.

Jacqui was always helping him with anything to do with doctors, hospitals, accommodation, and was there at all hours. "He continued: "We only knew Tony as Tony, so Jacqui is actually still going through a grieving process.

We all were very close to him. He had his way and he had his views but you know he became part of the family really.

They were like father and daughter and with Tony dying it's been emotional for her. ""With Tony's history and past, he obviously had this media presence but she only saw him as Tony.

She wants to keep her privacy, there are things that no-one will ever know and how close their relationship was. "Mr Martin passed away from complications of a stroke more than 25 years after Barras and Brendon Fearon, then 29, burgled his property in Emneth Hungate, Norfolk, on August 20, 1999. Barras was killed at the scene but Fearon survived his wounds. Mr Martin was imprisoned for murder but freed three years later after the conviction was downgraded to manslaughter. The case ignited a nationwide debate about homeowners' rights to defend their property. Mr Martin refused to set foot inside Bleak House Farm following his imprisonment for killing Barass and shooting his accomplice.Following his death, additional 24-hour CCTV was installed at the estate after thieves broke into a barn. Mr Martin's cherished 1975 Range Rover was vandalised and stripped for parts. The classic two-door vehicle is a rare model and is believed to be worth up to £150,000 when restored.Last night David suggested the estate had been ransacked by thieves and vandals but said they would continue to farm the land. He told the Mirror he had been farming some of the land prior to Mr Martin's death, adding: "We've got no plans at the moment.

""We're Just tidying things up and we're just gonna try and keep farming it. We were basically effectively farming it when he died anyway, we had a tenancy.

We're going to try to keep the farm going, which I'm sure Tony would have wanted. "Speaking about the raids on the estate, David said: "Tony was tortured and persecuted really all of his life.

Unfortunately that hasn't stopped and there's still people that are still going down and breaking in. There's still a bit of a stigma there so it's been challenging.

We've just tried to clear things up and tidy up really and till we decide what we want to do but at the moment we just want to keep farming it. " Speaking after Mr Martin's will and probate were finalised, his friend, Malcolm Starr, said: "Jacqui used to be the landlady in the Hare and Hounds in Wisbech.

After Tony was freed he used to pop in there more than regularly. She's a very, very nice lady, and she had a lot of sympathy for him and they became friends and she found him accomodation more suited to him later in his life.

"Following Mr Martin's death, Fearon ended his 20-year silence to tell the Mirror he harboured no ill-feeling towards the farmer who had left him permanently injured. He said: "I have no anger. He did what he had to do to protect himself and his home.

"The 54 year old also disclosed he was saddened to learn of Mr Martin's passing and revealed how the shooting initially failed to discourage him from pursuing a criminal lifestyle. However, he maintained he has since turned his life around and now cherishes his family.Brendan, who continues to suffer excruciating pain from the injuries to both his legs - with a substantial hole in one - said of his death: "I feel for him and his family. Life's not been kind to me but it was much crueller to little Fred, who lost his life, and his family.

But I have never felt any bitterness or animosity towards that farmer. ""I'm not saying he should have shot someone dead, that's wrong, but he felt persecuted by us and we shouldn't have been there.

His place had been robbed 10 times before and it was an easy target. I have no anger.

" Brendan was informed of Mr Martin's death by an individual who claimed it was "the best thing for him". However, he countered: "I didn't feel that. He's got family and friends mourning his loss.

If we'd never gone to his place he wouldn't have committed any crime, there would have been no shootings and no killing. He wasn't the only one to blame.

He lived to a good old age, it's sad he's gone but it's the end of a chapter. ".