A former textile chief who rode to church services on a motorbike when he was in his 90s died a multi-millionaire.

Graham Watson, the last direct descendent of the family which ran Lister's textile empire, left estate valued at almost £3.8 million in his will.

Among his bequests was £10,000 to St Barnabas Parish Church Council in Heaton which he attended until shortly before his death last November.

Mr Watson, of Heaton Rise, off Emm Lane, was a former managing director at the historic Manningham Mills.

He followed in the footsteps of his father William Watson and his grandfather when he took over the running of the business from 1950 to 1959. He died last November, aged 94.

But well into his 90s he attended morning services at the church in motorcycle leathers after riding there on his machine.

Today, the vicar of St Barnabas, Canon Rod Anderson, said: "He has always been a very generous benefactor. We shall miss him considerably. It is very touching that he remembered us. He was the old fashioned gentleman who was always so kind and concerned."

Mr Anderson recalled how as part of his induction nine years ago Mr Watson had taken him by the hand and led him to the then Bishop, the Right Reverend David Smith.

"At Easter last year he was very disappointed when he missed communion for the first time since he was confirmed," said Mr Anderson.

The bequest, he said, would be spent on improvements and alterations to the church.

Mr Watson's other local bequests included £5,000 each to Abbeyfield Bradford Society and the Bradford Flower Fund Homes Limited.

He left £100,000 to Giggleswick School to establish the Graham Watson Scholarship as well as a share of his estate to the school.

Other legacies included £150,000 to the National Trust, with the request that the money be used to maintain property at Kettlewell and Buckden North, which he used to own jointly with his brother David Moray Watson.

A further £50,000 was left to Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and other beneficiaries included the Council for the Protection of Rural England, the Wordsworth Trust, Friends of the Lake District, the Council for National Parks, Yorkshire Ramblers Club, Fell and Rock Climbing Club of English Lake District and the Royal Geographical Society.

Mr Watson, a bachelor, studied mathematics at Cambridge University and achieved a degree in 1930 and a Masters four years later.

He became an honorary fellow and has a collection of books at Emmanuel College Library.

He gave land valued at millions of pounds in Wharfedale to the National Trust when his brother died 14 years ago.

Mr Watson was a former chairman of Bradford Magistrates, a governor of Bradford Grammar School, senior vice-president of Bradford Chamber of Commerce and received an MBE in 1944 for his role as commander of the auxiliary fire service.