UK couple wins massive EuroMillions lottery jackpot

Aug 20, 2012, 6:18 am (17 comments)

Euro Millions

Lottery winner Adrian Bayford has already been bombarded with requests for cash following his huge £148 million (US$232.5 million) win — despite being away on vacation with his family.

The tiny shop which he jointly runs with his best friend in the Suffolk town of Haverhill has seen dozens of letters pour through its doors since he went public with his huge win on Tuesday.

His best friend and business partner Richard Hudspith — who is keeping the Suffolk Music Centre running — said the requests for money had been piling up.

"Put it this way, there has been more mail than you normally get with your morning coffee," he said.

After winning the Euro Millions jackpot, Mr Bayford and his wife Gillian caught an easyJet flight for a short break with their two young children.

And rather than make for the sun and five-star luxury, they appear to have headed north to spend time at the windswept Scottish caravan park where Mrs Bayford's parents live.

The manager of the Barry Downs site in Carnoustie, Angus, said yesterday: "Yes, they are here but they don't want to be disturbed. They are not giving interviews but they are here on the park."

They queued with other passengers at Stansted Airport before flying off to their hideaway where they will 'acclimatise' to their newfound wealth.

The only nod to luxury was the Air Harrods helicopter that whisked them from the hotel near Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, to the airport four miles away — and that was paid for by lottery operator Camelot.

Mr Hudspith thinks the couple will continue to keep their feet on the ground.

"I know Camelot does lots to help people who come into large sums of money and I think they are listening to the right sort of advice.

"Obviously it is going to be life-changing for them but as people they will still have the same values and that is that their children will come first.

"They will probably move but I believe they will stay in the area."

The gated caravan park where the Bayfords are staying has a bar, cafe, and newsagents, as well as a gym and hairdresser. An adjoining field has pitches for tents.

Entertainment includes pub quizzes and bingo on Friday and Saturday nights.

Reviewers on one camping website gave Barry Downs six out of ten. Highlights are the reasonably-priced cafe, an entertainer whose "singing...was good" and "immaculate" beaches nearby.

But some complained about showers that were prone to flooding, toilets that were "not as clean as they could've been" and a lack of activities for children.

Meanwhile back home in Haverhill, Suffolk, it was business as usual at Suffolk Music Centre, the secondhand records and musical instruments shop Mr Bayford runs and now hopes to expand.

A steady stream of customers arrived to offer their congratulations after co-owner Richard Hudspith opened up yesterday.

The determined show of normality was confirmed by Mr Bayford's aunt, Linda Beesley, who said the couple wanted to shield their children from upheaval after scooping Britain's second largest EuroMillions win.

"If they're going to move house they will tell the children what's happening but they won't explain why. They will protect them from it," the 65-year-old told the Mail yesterday.

"They won't contaminate them by taking them out shopping and all that rubbish.

"They won't be spoiled children, I don't think that for one minute. And if they are then auntie will knock them into shape.'

Mr Hudspith, 38, said the Bayfords spent their last holiday in a caravan in Cornwall.

"Obviously, the amount of money they have won is life-changing in a huge way but their core values as people will not change too much,' he said.

"They always put their children first and do not have extravagant tastes. I genuinely believe they will be the same people that they have always been."

Mrs Bayford, 40, plans to quit her job as a healthcare assistant at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge but Mr Bayford, 41, is expected to carry on working.

"Whether he will want to be here every day behind the counter is another matter but I am sure he will do at some point," Mr Hudspith said. "They are working people. Having an interest in something is important. They will not just sit around and do nothing."

The Bayfords discovered they had been catapulted into 516th place in the Sunday Times Rich List on Saturday night.

But their wish list is decidedly modest. As well as a new home with a high-tech kitchen, Mrs Bayford is considering buying an Audi Q7 and her husband wants to visit the Canadian Rockies.

They also plan to share their good fortune with a small group of family and friends.

And there could be more happiness for the family after it was revealed that Mr Bayford and twin brother Miles have a half-brother from their father Sidney's first marriage. The brothers were aware of Paul Wilson's existence but had never been in touch.

And Mr Wilson, a 55-year-old college manager, has had no contact with his father since the 1960s and had no idea he had remarried and started another family.

Miss Beesley yesterday suggested her nephews would "probably, in time, have a get-together" with their long-lost relative.

"They're the type of people who might do that," she said.

Mr Wilson, who has insisted he has no interest in his relative's fortune, said, "Thanks to the lottery I have discovered a whole new branch of my family."

News story photo(Click to display full-size in gallery)

News story photo(Click to display full-size in gallery)

Daily Mail, Lottery Post Staff

Comments

LottoGuyBC's avatarLottoGuyBC

Ding Ding Ding  Smash Big Congrats Cheers 

£148.6 million is alot of cheeseburgers White Bounce

zinniagirl's avatarzinniagirl

Congratulations and many happy returns.   May you not get stung by the "gimme bug".

mcginnin56

Great story for a well grounded and deserving couple. Be curious to know how long, and what type of betting they were doing before winning.  Roll Eyes

Nikkicute's avatarNikkicute

They don't take out taxes over there do they?

whiteballz's avatarwhiteballz

Quote: Originally posted by Nikkicute on Aug 20, 2012

They don't take out taxes over there do they?

No, UK lottery players don't have to pay any taxes on their winnings. Also the advertized jackpot is the lump sum with EuroMillions not like in the US where the advertized jackpot for most lotteries are almost always the annuity option.

Nikkicute's avatarNikkicute

Quote: Originally posted by whiteballz on Aug 20, 2012

No, UK lottery players don't have to pay any taxes on their winnings. Also the advertized jackpot is the lump sum with EuroMillions not like in the US where the advertized jackpot for most lotteries are almost always the annuity option.

Wow!! Cool, that's a REAL NICE WIN!!Hurray!

whiteballz's avatarwhiteballz

Quote: Originally posted by Nikkicute on Aug 20, 2012

Wow!! Cool, that's a REAL NICE WIN!!Hurray!

I agree with you. I really wish the US governement would follow Europe's lead and not tax lottery winnings but that is a pipe dream and has about as much chance of happening as someone winning Mega Millions and Powerball in the same month.

rdgrnr's avatarrdgrnr

Quote: Originally posted by whiteballz on Aug 20, 2012

I agree with you. I really wish the US governement would follow Europe's lead and not tax lottery winnings but that is a pipe dream and has about as much chance of happening as someone winning Mega Millions and Powerball in the same month.

Or as Todd has opined before, as much chance as being struck by lightning while being eaten by a shark.

Todd's avatarTodd

Quote: Originally posted by rdgrnr on Aug 20, 2012

Or as Todd has opined before, as much chance as being struck by lightning while being eaten by a shark.

You remembered.  Smile

rdgrnr's avatarrdgrnr

Quote: Originally posted by Todd on Aug 20, 2012

You remembered.  Smile

I couldn't forget a classic like that, lol.

tvboris's avatartvboris

Quote: Originally posted by whiteballz on Aug 20, 2012

No, UK lottery players don't have to pay any taxes on their winnings. Also the advertized jackpot is the lump sum with EuroMillions not like in the US where the advertized jackpot for most lotteries are almost always the annuity option.

Are you serious? so that means this couple won an amount of half a billion of US lottery equivalent, if you add up taxes and annuity. 

It actually means that it tops any single winner of advertized amount in US.

savagegoose's avatarsavagegoose

heay isnt it halved for cash lump sum, and then halved again by taxes, so yeah prob closer to $1bill usd. ie  multiply by 4.

HaveABall's avatarHaveABall

Quote: Originally posted by savagegoose on Aug 21, 2012

heay isnt it halved for cash lump sum, and then halved again by taxes, so yeah prob closer to $1bill usd. ie  multiply by 4.

No!  Time for you to begin getting your calculator out and dividing those $$$. Stretch

HaveABall's avatarHaveABall

I'm so pleased to see BOTH of the couple's name on the lottery check claim.

Congratulations, Bayford Family, on your super big, untaxed, face-value UK Lottery jackpot win! Group Hug

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