Will EuroMillions jackpot winner's dad get a share of £161m?

Jul 21 2011 by Shirley Bartynek, Hamilton Advertiser

THE Hamilton father of £161m lottery winner is unlikely to see a penny of it, his neighbours claimed this week.

Jubilant Christine Weir, who was brought up in Hamilton’s Neilsland Road, scooped last Tuesday’s £161million EuroMillions jackpot.

Her parents Robert and Nora Hartness and one of her sisters Karen, who isn’t working, still live in the end-terraced home in Neilsland Road.

But residents living nearby speculated that the Robert, a former janitor and union man, may not get any money from his daughter.

Steven Mains (48), whose late mother worked many years ago with Christine at BHS, in Hamilton’s Regent Centre, told the Advertiser: “I don’t think he will get a penny of it. It’s unbelievable that Christine has won more than £160m and good luck to her.”

John Carrigan (43), who has lived next door to Robert for the past five years, told the Advertiser he was delighted the family won the jackpot.

“Nothing has changed about Robert,” he added. He’s still pottering about in his garden and going about his daily routine. He is telling people that it isn’t him who has won the jackpot; it’s his daughter. They are a very private family and keep themselves to themselves. He’s 84 and has had two heart attacks.

“Although the sum that his daughter has won is out of the ordinary, it doesn’t look like Robert will be going on holiday. If he was, he’d already be away.”

Nurse Christine, a former Earnock High and Neilsland Primary pupil, moved away from Hamilton more than 30 years ago to set up life with her husband Colin (64) in Largs.

Before going to a secret hideaway, the couple appeared at a press conference in Falkirk on Friday, and admitted that the win will change the lives of their family forever.

Delighted Christine said they plan to splash out on gifts for their children, Carly (24), and call-centre worker Jamie (22).

Christine has three sisters, Karen, Alison and Eleanor and two brothers Andrew and Bobby.

Her dad, known as Bobby, was janitor at Earnock High, Hamilton Grammar and the former Low Waters Primary.

Christine left school and for a time worked in the foodhall at Hamilton’s BHS store.

However, neighbours say she left the family home at the age of 18 years and later took up a career in nursing which has spanned 37 years.

She progressed from being a ward nurse to a clinical nurse manager, specialising in mental health.

She married her husband Colin, a former STV cameraman, 30 years ago.

They both have been unable to work for a number of years through ill health.

Neighbours of Christine were this week delighted for her.

One who has lived close to her parents for more than 30 years, said: “Christine was a nice quiet wee girl. She would come to my kid’s birthday parties. We are really pleased for her.”

At the press conference staged by lottery organiser Camelot in a hotel in Falkirk, the couple, told how they first learned of their massive win of £161,653,000.

Christine, who chose to go public with her husband because they feared secrecy would involve lying to relatives, said: “We had enjoyed a normal night in front of the TV watching CSI and so on.

“At around midnight I decided it was time to turn in – but I quickly checked the EuroMillions result on Teletext in our bedroom.

“I started circling the numbers I had matched but wasn’t doing very well. Then, on the fifth line, all the circles seemed to join up.

“I checked them three or four times before going back downstairs to find Colin.”

The Advertiser contacted Mr Hartness’s door in Neilsland Road this week but received no answer.

A message outside the door said that they were doing no more interviews.