Lottery winner killed by train 'struggled to cope with £500k jackpot'

Helen Ford

A lottery winner who tragically died after being being hit by a train 'struggled to cope with the £500k jackpot', an inquest heard.

Helen Ford, 54, pocketed half a million pounds after buying a £3 scratchcard in 2003.

But she spent years battling depression and frequently took overdoses as a "cry for help", her psychiatrist said.


Ms Ford, from Penarth, Wales, was killed after being hit by a commuter train on January 21 this year.

Cardiff Coroner's Court was told Ms Ford suffered from bipolar personality disorder which led her to experience feelings of "loneliness and despair".

After winning the money, former ballet dancer Ms Ford spoke about her struggle with manic depression, which had been diagnosed at the age of 25.

She said: "People seem to think I should be happy all the time because of the lottery. But money doesn't buy you health and happiness.

"The low points of my illness are terrible and when I get down it's hard to get out of it.

"I can't rationalise that it's just a low phase and I'll get through it. I hate being like that.

"The lottery helps as it's given me financial security and the opportunity to explore other avenues, like holidays that I wouldn't normally afford.

"But it doesn't buy health or solve problems. People who think if they win £30m it will solve their problems, it won't.

"If I had won £30m it wouldn't have made me better. Money isn't what's important in life and people should remember that."

At the inquest, Dr Martyn Davies, a psychiatrist at Penarth Community Mental Health Team, said she had previously attempted suicide but would quickly recover and return to her "normal happy and smiling self".

Dr Davies also said she had been offered a new home in supported housing to help with her condition - but revealed she didn't want to leave the seaside apartment she had bought with the help of her lottery winnings.

He said: "It is difficult to imagine how more support could have been provided in a very difficult situation over many months.

"It was very difficult with her widely fluctuating emotions."

She died after sustaining "multiple severe injuries" when she was hit by the commuter train.

Cardiff assistant coroner Thomas Atherton recorded a narrative verdict.

He said: "I am not satisfied there is enough evidence to return a verdict that Helen Ford took her own life.

"Helen died as a consequence of being hit by a train - her intentions at the time were not clear."