Spalding couple locked in dispute over £1 million scratchcard win from ticket bought before they split up

A former couple are locked in a dispute over whether they should now share a £1 million scratchcard win that they scooped before they split up.

The case of Charlotte Cox (37) and Michael Cartlidge (39) has made national headlines and centres on a winning ticket they bought at a shop in Spalding.

Ms Cox has been deemed the sole winner of the jackpot by lottery bosses – yet her ex claims he should have a share of the cash.

A source told The Sun newspaper: “One million pounds has never brought so much misery.”

The pair broke up weeks after purchasing the winning ticket – thought to be from the shop next to Lidl in Holbeach Road.

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According to the national reports, Mr Cartlidge accepts that Ms Cox paid for and scratched the ticket. He, however, claims it was his idea and that he had tried to transfer the money needed to pay for the two £5 cards they bought.

The security engineer is considering legal action to fight for half the winnings, describing himself as being in ‘shock’ and feeling like ‘it should go 50-50 morally’.

Ms Cox was said to have argued he had no right to the winnings.

Representatives from Camelot, then Lotto owner, are said to have travelled to the area to speak to the pair late last year.

New owner Allwyn issued its ruling this month and explained that only the name written on the back of the ticket can claim the prize.

It told The Sun: “The National Lottery Rules for Scratchcard Games make clear that only one person can be the owner of a ticket and that only the person whose name and address is written on the back of a winning scratchcard can claim a prize. This means that a prize can only be paid to one person and this is always communicated clearly to prize claimants.

“Where a claimant agrees to share a prize with other parties (for example, players in a syndicate) after the prize has been paid, we always recommend that a legal agreement is drawn up between the interested parties.

“If there is no agreement in place, any dispute between the ­parties needs to be resolved between themselves.”