I won £22m lotto jackpot… when I tried to buy food the next day my card was refused – I made them pay

A MAN who split a £22million lotto jackpot win has recalled the moment his card was refused when he tried to buy food the next day.

Mark Gardiner, from Hastings, East Sussex, bagged the cash alongside his pal Paul Maddison in 1995.

The duo ran a small glazing firm together, which Paul soon ditched after his windfall, but Mark decided to carry on working.

Opting to not let his £11million go to his head, the now 61-year-old still has a hands-on role at the company.

And while he did enjoy the money - splashing out on a new house, a holiday home, and cars - he stayed humble.

When he was told he couldn't buy a weekly shop the day after his win, he made his bank pay for their mistake.

Mark said: "The Friday after my win we went food shopping and my card was refused.

"I went mad, and it was all, 'Oh, sir, I apologise'.

One minute I had £11 and the next minute I had £11 million and, if I’m honest, I was probably frightened

Mark Gardiner

"But they’d had their chance, so I closed that account."

The businessman went on to explain that the thought of his family never having to struggle is a huge comfort.

Recalling times where he had nothing left in his account because of the glazing company, Mark said: "We weren’t ever going bankrupt.

"We had three staff, everyone got paid, we could go to the pub on a Friday.

"But, like hundreds of other businesses, there were times when there was very little in the bank account."

Despite the relief of having millions appear one morning, Mark said to be transferred the huge sum was "overwhelming" and he had "instant fear".

He added: "One minute I had £11 and the next minute I had £11 million and, if I’m honest, I was probably frightened.

"Nothing prepares you for it.

"Camelot didn’t give us an instruction book, there was no manual, we didn’t go on a course; you’re given it, bang, there you go. It’s fairly overwhelming."

Lotto fallout

He said the amount of people coming out of the woodwork after the jackpot was publicised was "bizarre".

Just months before the win, Mark, who was raised by his adoptive mum, reached out to his biological parents.

He was soon rejected by his birth mum's new husband who told Mark that "mum didn't want to know me".

But after hearing of his jackpot, the husband ran to the papers claiming Mark should relocate them.

Mark added: "He never came to me directly, but he gave an interview to the papers in which he claimed I should pay to relocate them as the publicity had been very difficult."

The millionaire did try helping out his mates and bought them all a £100,000 house each - but the four friends ended up falling out with him.

Mark lost contact with fellow winner Paul shortly after the win 28 years ago.

He said the cheque ultimately led to the downfall of their friendship and is something to this day he never understands.

Paul, 73, died at the end of last year - in circumstances that are not known - after moving to a 40-acre estate in Scotland.