The son of one of England’s 1966 World Cup heroes says he has had to give his father’s winner’s medal back to his mother to avoid an eyewatering inheritance tax bill. John Charlton, son of former Three Lions defender Jack Charlton, said he faced having to pay £200,000 to inherit the prized medal.

Jack, who died in 2020 aged 85, partnered captain Bobby Moore in central defence as England beat West Germany 4-2 after extra time to lift the Jules Rimet trophy. John said his father left the heirloom to him in his will, but to avoid paying the tax bill, has handed it over to his mum Pat. As it is a transfer between married partners, no inheritance tax sum is due.

Speaking to Talksport, John said: “It was left to me in my dad’s will, but the tax man wants £200,000 off me in inheritance tax."

When asked whether he is going to sell it, he added: "No, I’ve given it back to my mother because whilst she’s got it, I don’t have to pay that money."

The standard inheritance tax rate is 40% on estates valued above £325,000.

John said his father and his uncle — the also legendary Sir Bobby Charlton — are the only members of the triumphant 1966 England team to keep their medals.

“Everybody else doesn’t have them anymore,” he said.

Only eleven winners’ medals were handed out 60 years ago, all going to players who started the match as substitutes were not allowed until the 1970 World Cup.

Sir Geoff Hurst, who scored a hat-trick in the final, is the last surviving England player from the famous match at Wembley on July 30 1966.

Despite the inheritance tax row around the winner’s medal, Jack said the family have other memorabilia from the tournament.

“Well, we’ve got his shirt as well. His shirt and his medal are in a safe place, tucked away,” he told Talksport.

"And the England cap that he got because he only got one cap for the tournament and that’s the only cap that he left. He gave the rest away."

Jack won 35 caps for England between 1965 and 1970, scoring six goals.

He also enjoyed a stellar club career as a one-club man at Leeds United where he won a league title, FA Cup, League Cup and two Inter-Cities Fairs Cups.