A man dubbed the 'richest gypsy in the UK' has shared some of the harrowing details from when he was growing up.
He might be a millionaire now, but Alfie Best had some truly shocking encounters when he was a younger man, including enduring horrific assaults that have left him with physical scars.
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Alfie, 53, has a fortune worth a staggering £745 million and has even made lists of the 250 richest people in the UK.
It wasn't always so rosy though, with Alfie still carrying the marks of his upbringing.
The businessman opened up to the Daily Star about his experiences growing up before he made his millions.
Describing one such encounter, from which he still bears the scar, he said: “My arm basically got held down, stabbed with a knife and then they pulled it. I was about 17 then."
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As if being stabbed in the arm wasn't enough, he also has another long-standing injury.
He said: “Can you see on the side of my face here? And here is a piece of my skull that's missing. I was stabbed through my arm, beaten with poles through my head here - and there’s a piece of my skull missing there.”
Injuries like these would be extremely difficult to move on from, but Alfie seems to have a very matter-of-fact approach to his past.
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“When you’re working in a poor area and from a poor background, unfortunately that's the sort of thing that happens," he said. "And it’s not just because we’re gypsies.
“But listen. They’re things that happen in life. You just have to deal with them and move on.”
Since his encounters growing up, Alfie has grown his business empire to become one of the richest people in the country. His businesses include Wyldecrest, the UK's largest mobile home park, and has been valued at a whopping £1.2 billion, with plans to expand into the US underway.
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Alfie is now thankful he didn't sink to the same level as his former attackers, explaining: “I could’ve easily been one of those people. Thankfully, I’ve been blessed with a good nature and want to make a difference.
“You can never see your face in boiling water. Always allow the water to become calm to see your face.”
He puts his success down to a brutal daily routine involving 6.45am starts and a 15-hour workday. After a day of making calls and keeping an eye on his 17 businesses, he finishes at around 9.00 or 10.00pm.
Now that's dedication.
Kit Roberts