Friend sues for bingo spoils

A WOMAN started legal proceedings against her former best friend yesterday over a share of a pounds 108,000 bingo win.

Isobel Robertson, 38, a software specialist, is suing Lorna Anderson, her former bingo partner and neighbour in Dunoon, Argyll, for pounds 54,000 plus interest dating from November 1997, when the money was won at Mecca Bingo in Glasgow.

Mrs Robertson's solicitor, Cameron Fyfe, said: "This is a very novel case. In Scotland you cannot sue for a gambling debt but you can sue in respect of the proceeds of a gambling dispute, which is what we have here.

"We aim to prove they [the women] had an agreement that if either won, then the winnings would be split equally between them."

Mrs Robertson said: "I know in my heart I would have paid up if I had won, and I think it is the sort of standard you have to live by...I feel very betrayed and very disappointed. This was my best friend of 12 years."

Mrs Robertson said the pair had won pounds 108,390. The first pounds 390 was paid in cash and split on the night, but Mrs Robertson said she had never seen the remainder of the winnings. She said: "Even afterwards she agreed to split the money but there were discussions about me getting pounds 32,000 and the offer went down and down to when she said I could have pounds 5,000 and have a nice holiday."

Mrs Anderson's solicitor,Peter Harvey, said he had been instructed to lodge defence papers denying any agreement was made with Mrs Robertson. He said: "I think [Mrs Anderson] is sick to the back teeth of the whole thing. She is extremely upset and disappointed that it has all come to this."