'Skint' Salmond was living in £7K-a-month luxury apartment when he died

ALEX Salmond was living in a rented £2.5million luxury apartment overlooking Big Ben despite being almost penniless when he died.

- BY PAUL HUTCHEON

The former first minister's £7000-a-month London pad included a swimming pool, cinema and bowling alley.

A source close to Salmond said the cash from his chat show on the Putin-backed RT channel helped pay for a three-bed apartment in the "world-class" block.

Salmond died in North Macedonia last year of a heart attack.

Reports over the weekend said he racked up huge costs while fighting to clear his name of sexual assault allegations in two court cases.