Man won £11m on lottery 30 years ago but then suffered 'bizarre' pub assault

It's been three decades since Mark Gardiner, a glazier from East Sussex, scooped an eye-watering £11million on the National Lottery in 1995 - one of the largest jackpots ever won in the UK at that time.

He shared the colossal £22,590,829 prize with his business partner, Paul Maddison.

Following his windfall, Mark embarked on a lavish spending spree, splashing out on a football club in Hastings and a holiday home in Barbados.

However, he later admitted he would have spent his winnings differently if given another chance, and he continues to play the lottery using the same lucky numbers, hoping to strike it rich once more.

Reflecting on the initial days after his win, he told the Mail: "Some days I would wake up to find just two or three reporters outside, but, on other days, it could be more than 10.

"Within a month I received my first threat of legal action, from a former girlfriend who claimed I was the father of her child and wanted money for the child's upkeep."

Mark also revealed he faced numerous court cases over the years from individuals who felt they were "entitled" to a share of his fortune.

Regarding how he was treated by others, he said: "One evening, I went to my local pub and a man I'd never seen before came over and asked me if I was Mark Gardiner. I thought he was going to wish me well, but instead he chucked his pint of beer all over me. I didn't know what to think – it was bizarre."

He also confessed to buying two local football clubs, which turned out to be a "complete waste of money", leading him to put them into administration.

Mark revealed that he purchased homes for four of his closest mates in the same cul-de-sac, but lamented that they all later "took advantage" of him.

His wealth dwindled due to a series of unsuccessful investments and following his split from his fourth wife in 2004, he vowed never to tie the knot again.

Despite these hurdles and the disappointment of losing millions, Mark now leads an ordinary life, content with his job as a glazier and driving his business van.

One of the wisest decisions he made was to invest £2million into his Croft Glass company and return to his regular job.

Speaking to The Sun about his current lifestyle, he stated in 2023: "Don't get me wrong, if I won the lottery now at 61 I'd have done so many different things. I'd have stopped work."

However, as his net worth decreased, he became more engrossed in his business, which he believes helped him remain grounded.

He elaborated: "I decided to invest money into it. I wanted to see if I had the ability, the skill and the knowledge to take it further. It was like a test and I have passed."

Regarding the liberty to occasionally take time off from work, he added: "I don't worry if I take the day off I won't be able to pay my staff's wages."

His former business associate Paul, who also bagged £11m in 1995, passed away in November 2023 at the age of 73.

Reflecting on this, Mark said: "It's a shame we lost touch. I tried to stay in contact with him and I would leave messages for him on his phone but he had moved on."