£1.2M Lotto Scot Dead
30 Dec 2006

A pensioner has died less than two years after winning £1.2million.

Former seaman John Whyte was 83 when he became Scotland's oldest lottery jackpot winner in March last year.

He shared the £2.4million top prize with one other ticket holder in a midweek Lotto draw, with a lucky dip ticket.

He died on Wednesday at the Meadowlark Nursing Home in Forres, Moray, where he and his wife Hilda had lived for about a year.

John had been suffering from bowel cancer.

His brother Raymond said the couple had not had the opportunity to enjoy the money.

He said: "By the time he got the money, he was a bit past it.

"He used to sail and, if he had been younger, he would probably have bought a yacht and gone sailing."

Raymond said his brother and his wife had renovated their home but had only lived in it for a short time before moving to Meadowlark.

He added that although his brother had no family of his own, he had been very generous in sharing his winnings with nieces, nephews and other family members.

When he won, John said: "I would like a yacht but I'm far too old for it now.

"I'm quite happy. I could not describe how I felt when I found out I had won.

"I know it's a lot of money but at 83 what am I going to do with it?"

John served in the Royal Navy for 16 years before working as a civilian at RAF Kinloss for 32 years.