Couple who won Euromillions jackpot to divorce

A British couple who won a £148m (€176.4m) EuroMillions jackpot are to divorce.

Adrian and Gillian Bayford, from Haverhill, Suffolk, scooped the second biggest ever lottery prize in August last year.

Jardine Michelson Public Relations issued a statement on Mrs Bayford’s behalf confirming the split.

It said: “Gillian Bayford confirms that her marriage to Adrian has broken down irretrievably and they have separated.

“Gillian requests that the media respect her and her children’s privacy and that of their wider family at this time.

“Gillian will be giving no further comment about this matter either now or in the future.”

A string of lottery winners have discovered that money cannot buy happiness, they include:

* Iorworth Hoare, from near Newcastle-upon-Tyne, was dubbed the “Lotto rapist” after scooping £7.2m in 2004 when he bought a Lotto Extra ticket while on day release from prison. Details of his rape conviction came to light after the win.

The British High Court later ordered that he pay close to £100,000 to his victim in a landmark ruling. His bill for legal fees reportedly reached almost £1m.

* Mark Gardiner, a glazier from Hastings, Sussex, won a half share of £22.6m in 1995. Years later he spoke about how the money had “ruined my life”.

He told the Daily Mail he met with jealously, false allegations and legal claims from ex-girlfriends. “If I could turn the clock back, I would move to a different area,” he added.

* Michael Carroll, of Downham Market, Norfolk, was 19 when he won £9.7m in 2002. Carroll, who had a history of petty crime, became known as the “Lotto lout” when he collected his jackpot wearing an electronic tag.

In 2010 he said he was being forced to sell his house and wanted to work as a dustman after squandering his fortune.

* Roger and Lara Griffiths, from Wetherby, West Yorkshire, netted £1.8m on the British National Lottery in 2005. He had worked as an IT manager and she as a performing arts teacher but both quit their jobs.

Mrs Griffiths later spoke of how the win wrecked their marriage while Mr Griffiths said he had been left with just £7 in the bank.

She told ITV’s 'Daybreak' programme said she had been forced to sell her collection of designer handbags to get by.

* Callie Rogers, from Workington, Cumbria, became Britain’s youngest ever lottery winner at 16 when she won £1.9m in 2003.

Ten years later she said she had frittered the money away on drugs and alcohol and became so depressed she attempted suicide.

The mother-of-three said she had been left with just £2,000 but added: “I’m finally truly happy.”