The cathedral is expensive to maintain

Edward Heeley left �400,000 to the cathedral when he died.

But in January, Dennis O'Donoghue, a solicitor from Yorkshire, was jailed for five years for theft.

The Law Society has now given the cathedral �485,000 in compensation.

The cathedral authorities says they were delighted to receive the money.

Chapter clerk and chief executive, Roy Bentham, said: "These sorts of legacies are absolutely vital to us, we couldn't manage without them.

"One of the great worries of people here was this would undermine the confidence of people who give money.

"If it can't be guaranteed the money is going to hit the target people have aimed at, it could unsettle people.