I feel like I’m being conned by my younger lover – I dropped everything for him

DEAR DEIDRE: WHEN a much younger, good-looking man told me he loved me I couldn’t believe my luck.

I didn’t hesitate to sell my house and move to his country to be with him.

But after ploughing almost all my money into a property there, he told me he no longer loved me.

Now I’m back in the UK in a tiny flat on a meagre pension.

I can’t believe I was so naive.

I am a 61-year-old woman. I lived and worked in Italy for many years.

I was able to retire early and bought a beautiful house.

A few years ago, I went to Greece on holiday and met a man of 30.

He was so attentive and I fell in love with him instantly.

He told me he loved me and ­persuaded me to sell my house and move to Greece to be with him.

I bought an old country villa and spent most of my money on doing it up. It was a big project but I did it for love.

When it was completed this man told me he didn’t love me anymore.

I was devastated.

To make matters worse, the house I had spent a fortune on didn’t conform to planning laws, which left me liable for huge fines.

I ended up having a total breakdown that lasted almost two years.

I’m now back in the UK but my living accommodation is not a patch on my previous home.

Sometimes I wish I were dead.

DEIDRE SAYS: It’s sad when romantic dreams don’t work out.

All you have to reproach yourself for is being too trusting.

You have learned a hard lesson but don’t beat yourself up.

It’s only natural you feel resentful but don’t dwell on the past or what might have been.

You still have a lot of life to live.

Finding work to supplement your pension will help you to be busy again and have contact with other people.

Voluntary work can be the first step towards starting again.

If you continue to feel low contact samaritans.org (116 123) and please see your GP.