Daily Express

Lottery girl to sue over £1m jackpot ‘that ruined my life’

- By Thea de Gallier

A EUROMILLIO­NS winner is threatenin­g to sue operators Camelot, claiming her £1million prize ruined her life.

Jane Park, 21, was Britain’s youngest millionair­e winner when she scooped the prize at the age of 17 but said her life has been empty since.

Jane, who lives in a flat in Edinburgh with her mother, added: “It feels like winning the Lottery has ruined my life. I thought it would make it 10 times better but it’s made it 10 times worse. I wish I had no money most days.”

Despite being able to buy two properties, take exotic holidays to the US and the Maldives and treat herself to an £18,000 Range Rover, Jane said she’s “sick” of shopping and that her wealth has affected her love life. She had suffered bad relationsh­ips and “it’s left me with a massive guard up,” she added.

Expensive

Last year, Jane hit the headlines when she issued boyfriend Connor George a list of rules he had to abide by while on holiday with his friends in Ibiza, including “avoid eye contact with girls at all times” and “no drugs”.

Jane’s expensive holidays didn’t work out much better than her love life. “I prefer Benidorm because no one is looking down on you,” she admitted. “In the Maldives, you can’t go and get absolutely hammered.”

She also said that being so much wealthier than her friends made her feel “like a 40-year-old. No one really understand­s”.

Jane is said to be considerin­g taking legal action against EuroMillio­ns because she thinks the current minimum age to play the Lottery should be increased from 16 to 18.

A spokesman for operator Camelot said the minimum age was decided by Parliament when the National Lottery was first introduced in 1994. He added: “All major winners are offered support and advice for as long as they wish. For younger winners, their age will be an important factor in the advice and support offered.

“Jane received extensive support from Camelot. A dedicated winners’ adviser visited Jane at home to pay out her prize, arrange private banking and support her through the publicity when she chose to share news of her win.

“An independen­t financial and legal panel was set up and we put Jane in touch with another winner, to share their experience and help Jane adjust to the win.

“We keep in contact with all major winners for as long as they wish and have been in touch with Jane to offer ongoing support. It is up to the winners whether they want to take up that support – but the door is always open.”

Jane was scathing about the support she received immediatel­y after the win.

She said: “I was stuck in front of a financial adviser who was using words like investment bonds. I had no clue what they meant.”

While she did invest in two properties, she also splashed out on designer goods, a £4,500 breast enlargemen­t and a chihuahua that she admits she “didn’t have time for”.

The dog is now cared aunt.

As well as her wealth woes, Jane is also due to stand trial next month for drink-driving in a McDonald’s drivethrou­gh, which she denies. for by an

 ?? Pictures: GRAEME HUNTER/BBC & JEFF HOLMES/JSHPIX ??
Pictures: GRAEME HUNTER/BBC & JEFF HOLMES/JSHPIX
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 ??  ?? Jane, above and left, as she celebrates her win. Right, on holiday in Spain. She wants the minimum age for playing the Lottery increased from 16 to 18
Jane, above and left, as she celebrates her win. Right, on holiday in Spain. She wants the minimum age for playing the Lottery increased from 16 to 18
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