Lottery winner's Bentley submerged in floods
A lottery winner's luck ran out when he wrote off his £100,000 black Bentley Continental after he tried to drive through a flooded road.
The 65-yar-old Lottery winner from Herefordshire splashed out on the brand new motor three years ago after he scooped the £5million lottery jackpot in 2008.
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But he was forced to ditch his "pride and joy" when he drove through flood water in Tewkesbury, Glos., shortly after 8am yesterday.
The wealthy management consultant and landowner was driving along a country lane on the outskirts of the town when his car was swamped by 3ft of water after a stream burst its banks.
The grandfather-of-one rang the AA and a rescue truck arrived but was unable to tow the car to dry land because Bentley's can only be towed from the front.
Rising flood water meant the AA truck was unable to reach the car - forcing him to leave the jet black car to the mercy of the floods.
Bernard Robinson, who has been friends with the Lottery winner for 30 years, said: "He was on his way to see me for a business meeting when he got stuck.
"He rang me and said 'I can't see you today because I've wrecked my car in the bloody floods'.
"He's driven down that road, even when it was flooded, hundreds of times before. He obviously misjudged how deep it was and when he pressed the accelerator the wheels just span and the car started to float off.
"Apparently water was gushing through the bottom of the car but he managed to open the door and wade to safety.
"He is gutted, he loved that car. It was his pride and joy and writing off a £100,000 car is not going to put you in the best of moods."
The winner, from Hereford, won the jackpot but refused to go public with his winnings.
Pal Bernard added: "Even though he's a lottery winner he's still working. He's got three ex-wives and four children, so he's got responsibilities.
"I've known him 30 years but he's not the friendliest of people - even after his big win.
"The winner also has a 1940 Land Rover with a snorkel which he probably thought he was driving when he went through the floods."
Comments
by dodoleduck
Friday, January 04 2013, 11:03AM
“The ducks in the third photograph look a bit like my Uncle Donald and his best friend Hamish McDuck”
by TimMessanger
Friday, January 04 2013, 2:01AM
“Thanks for the red arrows ;)”
by Studley1975
Friday, January 04 2013, 1:49AM
“Just Because He Has Money People Scoff At His Misfortune, Sounds Very Much Like The Green Eyed Monster To Me!”
by lolmyopinion
Thursday, January 03 2013, 9:00PM
“I see communism is alive and well in the minds of the comment authors today.
Jealousy will get you nowhere.”
by andypandy789
Thursday, January 03 2013, 6:31PM
“For somebody familiar with the road, he obviously isn't. Didn't he see the sign, the water and the flooded fields before that?
But at least the bright side is he didn't get anything thrown from the bridge by some unsavoury people that has happened in the past.”
by yumtum20
Thursday, January 03 2013, 4:46PM
“There seems to be a lot of very jealous people leaving comments here. I have some sympathy with the driver as we all make mistakes. Just because he got lucky doing the lottery doesn't mean he will have to pay for the damage himself, i am sure his insurance premiums will be high enough on the Bentley to cover for the damage done. Just a case of hard luck that's all.”
by spindles12
Thursday, January 03 2013, 4:08PM
“I don't see why the Bentley owner should get money from his insurance, after all, his friend Mr Robinson dropped him in it when he said "He's driven down that road, even when it was flooded, hundreds of times before. He obviously misjudged how deep it was and when he pressed the accelerator the wheels just span and the car started to float off". So, the driver had driven in flooded water before and thought he could get away with it again - big mistake.
The driver knew the road was flooded, it wasn't just "swamped by 3ft of water after a stream burst its banks" - absolute rubbish when the flood water has been around for weeks! I'm sure the insurance company will take great pleasure in turning down any claims the lottery winner tries to make.”
by Matt1006
Thursday, January 03 2013, 3:25PM
“Ah, I've spotted the deliberate mistake - 1940 Land Rover. There is no such thing. The original Series 1 Land Rover went on sale in 1948. Even then, it had a petrol engine which didn't have waterproofed electrics, so a snorkel allowing the engine to breath is useless if the engine electrics are wet (which they will be in deep water). A snorkel is somewhat redundant if the engine is dead...
Perhaps it should state that Mr. Johnson has a 1940's Land Rover. He certainly doesn't have one dating from 1940.”
by roger1106
Thursday, January 03 2013, 2:25PM
“Not exactly a Lucky Dip”
by geraint2010
Thursday, January 03 2013, 2:13PM
“Pure schadenfreude!”