"Many Photos" - Britain's biggest Euromillions winners divorce eight years after scooping £161m jackpot

Britain's biggest Euromillions winners have announced that they are going to divorce, eight years after winning the £161million prize.    

Colin, 71, and Chris Weir, 62, who won the lottery in 2011, also confirmed in a statement they had been living apart 'for some time'.

The couple from Largs, Ayrshire, have been married for more than 30 years and have two grown-up children.

Colin, a former TV cameraman, and Chris, a former psychiatric nurse, made the Sunday Times Rich List with their win eight years ago. 

Britain's biggest Euromillions winners Colin, 71, and Chris Weir, 62, have announced their divorce

A statement given to The Sun on behalf of the couple said: 'It is with deep regret that Chris and Colin confirm they have been living apart for some time and intend to divorce amicably.

'There will be no further comment.'

The couple, who had been married for more than 30 years, said they were 'not scared' of the wealth because they were going to have 'so much fun' with the money after the win.

They set up The Weir Charitable Trust in 2013 and made a donation to a community football club in their local Largs.

Partick Thistle Football Club also received investment from the couple which led to the youth set-up being rebranded the Thistle Weir Youth Academy and a section of their Firhill Stadium being named the Colin Weir Stand.

The couple from Largs, Ayrshire have announced their split eight years after winning the huge £161 million prize 

After their big win, they bought £850,000 Knock House, a four-bedroom detached home in 23 acres of gardens and woodland on the outskirts of Largs

They also defended making a donation of £1million to the independence campaign ahead of the 2014 referendum, and continued donating to the SNP afterwards.

Friends of the couple said that their divorce was an 'open secret' and that they had become estranged for months. 

The couple were in the news last August after it emerged that they owned separate mansions.  

Colin gave a property that they had bought together in Troon, Scotland over to his wife.

He then bought a £1.5million waterfront home a few miles away, giving Chris sole ownership of the £3million Frognal House. 

After their big win, they bought £850,000 Knock House, a four-bedroom detached home in 23 acres of gardens and woodland on the outskirts of Largs. 

Adrian and Gillian Bayford (pictured), who won £148million in 2012, split just a year later

The couple aren't the only Lotto winners to eventually divorce. 

Les and Samantha Scadding, who scooped £45.5million in 2009, divorced in 2013 and Adrian and Gillian Bayford, who won £148million in 2012, split just a year later.

Gillian Bayford also admitted that last year that she has not spoken to her 'greedy' family for nearly one year, despite giving them £20m after the windfall.

She claims her mother, father and brother - who all live in plush houses and drive flash cars thanks to her fortune - 'disowned' her last May, but still expect her to bail them out when they need money.

Elsewhere, Jason and Victoria Jones had been married for only a month when they scooped £2.3million on the lottery in 2004.

However, the pair announced they were to divorce after Mrs Jones met a businessman one hundred times richer than her husband. 

Gareth and Catherine Bull, who pocketed a cool £40.6million EuroMillions jackpot in 2012 are also leading separate lives.

Who is the biggest ever UK lottery winner? Two couples and a former car mechanic top list

Here are the six previous biggest UK winners of the EuroMillions draw so far

1. In July 2011, Colin and Chris Weir became Europe's biggest lottery winners when they scooped more than £161million.

The couple, who have been married for 30 years, said they were ‘not scared’ of the wealth because they were going to have ‘so much fun’ with the money.

The pair, a retired TV cameraman and a retired psychiatric nurse, from Largs, in Ayrshire, said their children Carly, a photography student, and Jamie, a call centre worker, would be bought their own homes and cars.

The family made a £1million donation to the SNP shortly after winning.

Colin and Chris Weir became Europe's biggest lottery winners when they scooped more than £161million in 2011

2. Adrian and Gillian Bayford, from Suffolk, took home more than £148 million in August 2012.

The marriage ended just 15 months into their new jackpot winning lives, citing the stress of the money as the reason they needed to split.

At the time, a spokesman for Mrs Bayford said: 'Gillian Bayford confirms that her marriage to Adrian has broken down irretrievably and they have separated.'

It came after Mrs Bayford was forced to deny she had an affair with the couple's gardener, Chris Tovey. 

Adrian and Gillian Bayford, from Suffolk, took home more than £148 million in August 2012

3. An anonymous ticket-holder took home £121m

4. Patrick and Frances Connolly from County Armagh scooped the entire £115million EuroMillions jackpot on New Year's Day 2019

5. An unnamed ticket-holder claimed just over £113million in October 2010, and chose not go public. 

6. Neil Trotter, from south London, won nearly £108million, going from former car mechanic to multimillionaire in March 2014.

Neighbours in Croydon described he and partner Nicky Ottaway moved out ‘almost overnight’ after they scooped the EuroMillions jackpot last March.

Mr Trotter admitted at the time that he was like his namesake, Del Boy Trotter from Only Fools And Horses.

Neil Trotter, with partner Nicky Ottaway, won nearly £108million, going from former car mechanic to multimillionaire in March 2014

7. A couple from Cambridgeshire, Dave and Angela Dawes, won more than £101million on their third go on the EuroMillions draw in October 2011.

Mr Dawes said he 'didn't sleep a wink' the night of the win, as it was too late to call Camelot after the couple checked their numbers.

Last year, the couple were taken to court by his son, an Afghanistan veteran, Michael Dawes, 32, who said he was 'ungenerous in spirit'.

But a judge ruled the millionaire father does not need to keep bailing out his son, who burnt through £1.6million in two years, and came back for more, failing to heed his stepmother's advice to stop eating at the Ritz and go to McDonald's instead.

8. A UK winner got a £93 million payout in June 2015, but decided to remain anonymous.

Dave and Angela Dawes won more than £101million on their third go on the EuroMillions draw in October 2011

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News Photo Britain's biggest Euromillions winners divorce eight years after scooping £161m jackpot 
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