Lottery winner commits suicide

A lottery winner who scooped nearly £1million five years ago hanged himself at his luxury four-bedroom home, it emerged today.

Playboy Richard Lang, 31, splashed out on expensive holidays, booze, women and flash cars after scooping £867,454 in 2005.

But friends and family were stunned when he was found hanged at his £400,000 house in Broughton Astley, Leics., in May.

Today Richard’s devastated mum Yvonne Greenwood, 65, said her son ”just loved life” but ”drank a bit too much”.

She said: ”We know he hung himself but we have no idea why. It is a mystery. He must have been desperate.

”Richard had no long-standing girlfriend but there had been a succession through his life.

”He was fit and healthy, although he admitted he drank a bit too much, but it was only at weekends with friends.

”He didn’t like the limelight but we told him he would be better off being looked after by the lottery people as he was on his own.

”They provided legal and financial advice and, in return, he would turn out for publicity events.”

The British Waterways canal worker won the money with a lucky dip ticket but continued in his day job.

He moved out of his mum and stepdad Graham’s terraced house in Mountsorrel, Leics., and bought a palatial pad in a village nearby he called his ”hotel”.

Richard had been due to go on a Mediterranean cruise with a female friend a few months after he died.

Mum Yvonne said: ”Richard’s death was a massive shock. I thought he had slipped and fallen into the water at work.

”I can’t come to terms with it. I’ve learned to live with it but I still need to find out what happened.

”His friends have spoken of their shock. He was supposed to be going on a Mediterranean cruise in the summer with a girl he knew.

”He loved humour and was an avid Terry Pratchett fan. He just loved life.

”He was very sensible with his money – his biggest purchase was the house.

”He came home every weekend. He always called this his home and he called his house in Broughton Astley his hotel.

”He bought it because it was easier to get to work.

”He never took his stuff from here when he moved out. He never really wanted to go.”

A pal of Richard’s said: ”He was a great guy, when he won the money his attitude was to use it to enjoy himself.

”His attitude was ‘live fast, die young’. It’s so tragic that is exactly what he did.”

Richard’s body has now been released for burial and an inquest into his death will take place later this month.