I am writing with great sadness and a little anger that the elderly gentleman who appears to be the owner of the missing lottery ticket can say: “Money always makes trouble so I’d rather not have it” (The Argus, February 12).

I am a 16-year-old girl attending City College Brighton two days a week, training to become a hairdresser. I hope to fulfil my dream of one day owning my own salon and business.

With the recession, Government cuts, rising student fees and the loss of my £30 per week Education Maintenance Allowance, it makes me sad he feels this way. Why buy a ticket if you don’t need it?

It may have given hope to someone else who did.

It could have been me. Back in November I bought a lottery ticket in Hove but while running to catch my bus home I lost it. I informed the National Lottery and was told they would look into it.

My heart sank when reading that this gentleman may be the winner.

My 24-year-old brother and I were brought up by my single mum and have always had financial struggles, accumulating many debts along the way. We have gone without many things in life, including holidays, family days out and material things – which to a young child does matter.

We have two absent fathers who don’t bother to see us or so much as send birthday or Christmas cards.

So I would like to say that if I had the winning ticket it would have brought happiness to my mum in finally freeing her from a lifetime of financial worries. I would have made up for all we missed out on as a family and would have planned a great future for us, to help ease the pain of the past.

Name and address supplied