£3.5m lottery give-away OAP dies

Thursday, April 12, 2007 posted 10:34 AM EDT

Bob Bradley from Llanelli gave away his fortune by making donations to children's charities and spending the rest on his family and friends.

They paid tribute to a "kind and loving man" who had enjoyed a "fantastic time" since he won the money on his 83rd birthday in March 2006.

The win made him Wales' oldest Lotto millionaire.

Mr Bradley, who took part in the D-Day landings, died on Sunday morning surrounded by his family at the new house he had bought them at Llanarthne.

In a statement they said: "We are all devastated by the loss of Bob.

"Everyone who met him will remember him as a huge character and personality - he was always the first and quickest with a joke and made us all laugh every day.

"Bob has been a generous, kind and loving man all his life, not just since winning the lottery."

They said Mr Bradley, who had spent his working life at a car components factory in Llanelli, had just returned from a holiday in Turkey with his grandson Christopher, grand-daughter-in-law Geraldine and their daughter Zara.

"In the 12 months since the win, Bob had a fantastic time," added the family.

"He particularly enjoyed the garden of his new home, in which he took great pride and pleasure."

Among the gifts he gave his family were a £70,000 Mercedes car for his son Barry, a £25,000 motor home for his great-grandson to transport his motocross bikes to races and his teenage great-granddaughter's only wish - an £8.50 pet rabbit.

At the press conference after he won Mr Bradley told reporters he would willingly swap the money to have his wife Mim, who died in 2004 after almost 60-years of marriage, back.

His family added: "Bob adored Mim and missed her terribly.

"Barry and Yvonne (his wife) recently drove Bob to Kent to visit Mim's family, which meant a great deal to him.

"We hope that Bob and Mim are now together again."

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