Salmond died without a will

ALEX Salmond died without leaving a will in place for his wife of over 40 years.

- BY PAUL HUTCHEON and CATRIONA STEWART

Salmond, who was first minister between 2007 and 2014, died of a heart attack aged 69 in North Macedonia in October last year.

He married Moira in 1981 and had three siblings - Margaret, Gail and Bob - but there was no will made providing certainty to his family.

A source close to the Salmond family said there is now concern about the impact on his 87-year-old widow Moira.

The source said: "There was shock among the family when it became clear Alex hadn't left a will.

"It is additional stress and upset for Moira, having to deal with the admin involved in sorting out the estate.

"The situation is very hard when there is a lot of sentimentality involved and emotions are high."

Salmond and his wife, who did not have children, owned their family home in Aberdeenshire and the wealthy former SNP leader is believed to have substantial savings.

He had five pensions from his time as a civil servant, an economist at the Royal Bank of Scotland and decades on the front line of Westminster and Holyrood politics.