£148 million Lottery winner Adrian Bayford suffers another blow

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Adrian and Gillian Bayford after their EuroMillions win
Adrian and Gillian Bayford after their EuroMillions win



Adrian Bayford, who won an incredible £148 million on the EuroMillions in 2012, has suffered another setback in his personal life. It has been reported his fiancée Sam Burbidge has left the home they shared - taking horses worth £300,000, a horsebox, a car and their dogs.

See also: £148m Lottery winner furious when friends go to the papers about rent dispute

See also: Adrian Bayford isn't the only lottery winner going back to work

See also: £148m Euromillions winner, Gillian Bayford, blames the money for destroying family


The Daily Mail reported that she had apparently left the £6 million home they shared in Suffolk while her fiancé was away, visiting his ex-wife Gillian and his two children.

Pet stress

It's impossible to speculate about what happened, as the only two people who ever understand what causes a relationship to break down are the two people involved. It is, however, bound to be a difficult time as the pair have been together for more than three years.

Bayford will also have to deal with the loss of the couple's dogs, which is always a wrench for any owner. A survey in 2011 found that one in ten divorcing pet owners found it more difficult to adjust to the loss of the dog than they did to the loss of their partner.

How he feels about the departure of the horses is another matter entirely. It's not thought the former postman was a huge fan, but their loss means he now owns an eventing arena and stables for 30 thoroughbred horses, which me may not have an immediate use for.

Not such a happy ending

Many onlookers hoped that this relationship would bring a happy ending for Adrian, who has been through an awful lot of ups and downs since his win in 2012. His experiences are often cited as proof that even this kind of life-changing win is not a one-way ticket to paradise.

Adrian and Gillian Bayford were a delighted and happy couple when they announced the win in 2012, and they were keen to continue with life as normal and not let the money change them.

Adrian had hoped he could continue running his music shop after the win, but was eventually forced to close it after being besieged by people asking for money. The couple also expected a long and happy marriage, but just 15 months after the win - after nine years of marriage - they split - citing the pressure of the money as part of the reason.

Towards the end of last year, Adrian was in the headlines again after evicting a tenant. The situation was complicated because she was a friend, renting the property at a subsidised rate. Adrian increased the rent, to just half the market rate, but the tenants said they couldn't afford it, so they were evicted.

Life hasn't been straightforward for Gillian either, who has said that the money caused some issues with her family, and that she had not spoken to some family members for more than a year.

The good news is that while Adrian's happy ending may not be what he was expecting, the Bayford's enthusiasm for life means they are forging ahead. Gillian has made a name for herself running a successful property business, donating to children's charities, and giving back to her community.

Adrian, meanwhile, has started a shop selling music and film memorabilia - and is said to have plans to open more shops in future.

It's not known whether he will get another dog.

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