Lottery win brought only grief

IT’S THE life-changing moment most people dream about – scooping a huge lottery windfall. But Britain’s youngest winner Callie Rogers says her £1.87million (R33.6m) win made her miserable and she is glad it is gone.

Rogers was just 16 and living in foster care when she won in 2003. She gave up her £3.60-an-hour job as a cashier and moved into her own home, but her life spiralled out of control.

She blew all the money on drugs – including a £250 000 cocaine bill – as well as breast enlargements and designer clothes valued at £300 000.

Rogers, now 31, also handed at least £500 000 to family and friends, only later realising some used her for cash. She became so depressed she tried to take her life.

The mother of three recently said she was happier since she lost the cash.

She called for the age limit for buying lottery tickets to be increased from 16 to 18.

“I just wish I’d been older. At 16 you are just a child and overnight you’ve got to grow up and become an adult, which is very difficult.”

Within days of her win, Rogers met Nicky Lawson, now father of her two eldest children, and moved into a new £180 000 bungalow with him. She struggled to work out who her real friends were.

“There were people who came along after I won the lottery that weren’t in my life before and aren’t in my life now.”