Mum blew £250,000 inheritance in 14 months - and now lives on the streets

A woman has revealed how she blew a £250,000 inheritance, ended up sleeping rough and lost contact with her daughters because of her drug and alcohol addiction.

Lorna Webb was married, had children and was once flush with cash, before her £600-a-day drug habit took hold.

She has shared her heartbreaking story with the Cambridgeshire Live .

Lorna clearly attempts to keep up a good appearance despite having slept outdoors in all weathers for many years.

Now she struggles to eat but she once she owned two properties in Cambridge and worked in catering for many years in Wolfson College and other kitchens.

Several years ago - Lorna can't quite remember - she inherited £250,000 from her family.

This was to be spent on drugs - and Lorna's innate generosity and kindness meant that she spent a lot of her inheritance on other struggling addicts.

She once was flush with cash and was spending almost £18,000 a month on drugs or £600 a day.

Lorna now had the inheritance and started to spend.

She said: "When I got the money I was living locally, staying round friends and everything.

"My mates are all addicts so there was no way that I was going to leave them without.

"If I could have balanced it a bit more I would have done something with it. I am glad the money went to the area. The dollar has got invested. I don't mean any disrespect to my family.

"I lost a lot of weight and had a nervous breakdown. The heroin stopped me eating.

"It's very painful when you put weight back on your body and then you lose it. When you have a nervous breakdown it is very painful to your body."

Lorna said she then attempted to rent a home in Cambridge but even with a small fortune in the bank she said no-one would let a property to her.

She said: "I am an addict myself and I was dossing around different places. I tried to get a place but they weren't having none of it. That's what I don't understand.

"I had local connections and I was trying to rent a place. I had money to buy. I would have got a boat. Somebody must have been using my ID, plus the fact that I am adopted which doesn't help."

Lorna spent most of her inheritance on feeding her habit and giving money away to addicts.

She has little to show for it now and lives a hand-to-mouth existence.

And in a heartbreaking moment, Lorna admitted her regret in not giving more of the money to her daughters and how she longs to see them again.

The day before she spoke to Cambridgeshire Live she thought her daughter had driven past the spot in Mill Road where Lorna can be found on most days.

She said: "I guess I bought a few little bits and pieces - some jewellery. I bought both my girls some school kits. I love my girls. I have heard that they are doing really well. I hope so. I haven't seen them.

"I don't know if that was my daughter that I waved to the other day. I am not sure where they are. I would just like to see that they are safe. Sasha will be coming up to her mid-twenties and Faith eight years behind.

"They are both firing on all cylinders. They have all their pistons."

Lorna spoke of her life on the street and the camaraderie she felt with other rough sleepers.

And she told of how many of her pals had been lost to drugs and violence.

She said: "It's not too bad on the street. We have a good crew around and we all look out for each other. Everyone has their own situation but no one will let anyone down.

"We've all got each others backs here. We've just lost some friends recently, but there's no way anyone is going to go unnoticed. No chance. That's not happening."

Lorna also knew Peter Anderson, also known as Blue, who died from multiple stab wounds after being attacked on Stourbridge Common on July 25.

Two London men have been charged with murder.

Lorna said Blue was a gentle man and was shocked when she learned he had died.

She added: "I knew Blue. It is surreal to me like it hasn't happened. It's just surreal. I don't get it."

And she spoke of the trouble in Mill Road and how traders wanted to clean up the area.

She said: "I score here but I've not noticed much trouble. It's probably other people getting involved and other people coming down here if the truth be known.

"I know people locally and there are things that they go through. But I think it's other people getting involved."

Asked if she would have done things differently, she said: "I had wanted to bless my children. I wanted something for them."

Lorna has been through the courts over the years.

In March 2012 armed police were called in after Lorna was seen carrying a knife by an ambulance crew.

She was jailed for eight months after Cambridge Crown Court heard she had armed herself for protection before a confrontation with another woman.

Police were called to the incident in Mill Road by an ambulance crew which was dealing with another matter.

Lorna had previously admitted possessing a bladed article and using threatening behaviour and had been sent to the Crown court for sentence by magistrates.

Mr Justice Andrew Nicol told her: “These offences were so serious only a custodial sentence can follow.”

Claire Matthews, prosecuting, said: “The ambulance crew contacted police about an incident in Mill Road following reports that a female was acting in a disruptive manner whilst in possession of a knife.”

She said the police tactical firearms unit was called to the incident, which happened at about 7pm.

Miss Matthews told the court that Lorna had dropped the small kitchen knife down a drain, saying: “The defendant was located nearby and was arrested at the scene. She quickly became abusive to the police.”

She said Lorna admitted possessing the knife and said she had taken it with her for her own protection in a confrontation with another woman.

Defence lawyer Caroline Allison said her client, who had drink and drug problems, had been staying with friends when she heard the other woman was looking for her.

She said: “Miss Webb accepts she made the decision to leave the flat and take the knife with her which was a bad decision.

“At the time she was very concerned about the person saying they were looking for her.

“She was in fear and did not intend to use the knife, but to ensure people backed off.”

Miss Allison said Lorna had a troubled background and urged a sentence with supervision which would benefit both her client and the community.

And in 2009 Lorna was ordered to pay a £35 fine by Cambridge magistrates after pleading guilty of using threatening words and behaviour.

Then living in New Cheveley Road, Newmarket, Lorna was arrested on September 8 after an incident which saw her threaten a shop owner in Mill Road and police officers who attempted to talk to her about the situation.

She shouted at the officers and the shop owner, accusing them of sexually assaulting a relative as well as calling one of the police officers "fat boy".

Along with the fine, magistrates ordered Lorna to pay a £15 victim surcharge and £15 costs.