Mum 'swears to god' she is 'not bothered' after rejecting £51,000 on TV

A grieving mum disclosed that the potential £51,000 prize money from ITV's Deal or No Deal was not her primary concern. Paula Swinnerton, 52, who featured on series two, episode 18 of the reformatted game show, shared the poignant reason she declined the hefty sum predicted by the Banker.

As the ECHO covered Paula’s story this weekend, it highlighted her intention to create a baby memorial garden in Bootle Cemetery. From Kirkby, Paula endured the heartbreaking loss of her son Sam in 2002, when he was stillborn at full term, and for 23 years since, she has frequented his grave every fortnight.

During these visits, she contemplates the life they might have shared while leaving tokens of affection in his honour. Explaining her motive for participating in Deal or No Deal, she had a clear purpose for any winnings.

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When Stephen Mulhern, the host of the ITV show, enquired about her plans for any prize money, Paula expressed her long-standing ambition: "The plan has always been, where Sam is buried in the cemetery in Liverpool, there's a baby memorial garden, which is beautiful and incredibly enough [...] it was torched and it was vandalised, and all the stuff that was there was ruined. All their names had been blacked out, the baby's names - including our son, Sam."

Paula recalled the harrowing event of 2011 when vandals desecrated a tribute garden, setting it ablaze and leaving bereaved families and the community reeling from the senseless destruction. She expressed her determination to restore beauty to the space, reports the Liverpool Echo. She said: "As much as people have got it back, I want to do something nice in there. I want to get some nice things, because at the end of the day, they're our children, and they deserve to have something nice. So I'd like to do some work in that garden."

Despite having a promising game on Deal or No Deal with the £100,000 box still in play, Paula accepted the Banker's offer of £6,800, explaining her decision by saying: "I swear to God, I mean this. I'm not bothered, and not in a cocky way, because I've got what I come for."

She further clarified her selfless motive and said: "It's right because it's not for me and I couldn't let them down. it's for other people's families and the babies."

Upon accepting the deal, host Stephen Mulhern commended her generosity and resilience, stating: "You are one lovely person and to hear what you've gone through with your family, and more importantly, just how you've taken that and gone through it with [your husband] and your kids and now you want to help other families that have gone through the same thing."

He continued: "I'm just pleased that you are going away and you're going to do some special things, and you can look back and not only be proud of yourself, but be proud of what you've done for other families in your position. Loved having you on the show."

Paula's poignant story clearly struck a chord with the beloved host of Deal or No Deal, as he recounted the memorable tale once again during an interview on ITV's This Morning programme on January 28.

Chatting with Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley, Mulhern paused reminiscing about his time co-presenting Dancing on Ice alongside Holly Willoughby, to reveal his most treasured memory from the early series of Deal or No Deal. Stephen Mulhern expressed how the contestant's story always stirred him, saying: "Every time I tell this story, I get goose bumps by it. I always read about the contestants as you know. Sadly, [Paula's] son passed away very early, and some thugs had burnt the [memorial] stone [...] and she was offered just over £6,000 but she had an amazing board with loads of money on it."

Visibly moved by the recollection, Mulhern went on to note: "Do you know what? She dealt because that's all she wanted to do, was just sort out the kids' [memorial] stone. It shows what the money means and it's not always about the big cheques, it's about what you come for."

Paula is now looking to collaborate with other parents and the council to ensure that the improvement project is fully inclusive and considers everyone's interests. A representative for Sefton Council stated: "We welcome the opportunity to speak with Ms Swinnerton about her thoughts and ideas for the Memorial Garden and we look forward to engaging in a positive conversation".