Actress Hetty Baynes at the High court London. She is fighting for a greater share of the 2.3 million estate of sculptress Mary Spencer Watson, her mother's lesbian lover.

The former wife of film director Ken Russell is fighting a court battle for a share of the £2.3million estate left by her mother's lesbian partner.

Hetty Baynes, 51, is asking the High Court to award her more than £600,000 from the estate of acclaimed sculptress Mary Spencer Watson.

When Miss Baynes was a child her mother Margot left her husband Geoffrey to begin a relationship with Miss Spencer Watson which lasted almost 50 years.

The sculptress became a 'second mother' to Miss Baynes, but left her penniless when she died aged 92 in March 2006.

Miss Spencer Watson had already given financial support to actress Miss Baynes - who has appeared in The Bill, Bergerac and countless stage productions - during her lifetime and wanted to help Margot's four other children after her death, the court heard.

She left her £2million home, Dunshay Manor estate near Purbeck, Dorset, to the building preservation charity Landmark Trust.

Her will dictated that the remaining £300,000 should go to Margot, 90, and thereafter to Margot's children, omitting Miss Baynes.

Miss Baynes, who is under threat of losing her home in Battersea, South-West London, because of debts, claims that shortly before her death Miss Spencer Watson had promised to discharge her debts and buy her a home.

The actress, whose film credits include erotic thrillers directed by Mr Russell, is seeking a £570,000 house for her and her 15-year-old son, all her debts paid off, £25,000 to safeguard her financial future and £7,500 for a car.

Mary Spencer Watson: Sculptress

The court heard that she had liabilities of  £160,000.

Thomas Dumont, for Miss Baynes, said: 'In the months before her death, Mary was exploring methods of raising capital to discharge Hetty's debts and buy her a house.

'That is the result that Hetty seeks in her claim.'

But Jeffrey Terry QC, for the Landmark Trust, said of Miss Baynes: 'Her history makes plain that any money conferred on her will be squandered. It will only be a matter of time before she is penniless and in debt again.'

The case continues.

Hetty Baynes in 2005 with former husband, film director Ken Russell. The couple have a 15 year-old son, Rex