Lakshmi Mittal lost 1.9 mn pounds per hr in 2008

London, Apr 26: Indian origin steel magnate Lakshmi Niwas Mittal lost as much as 23.5 billion pounds in the last one year due to the ongoing financial crisis world over.

The economic crisis has wiped 155 billion pounds from the fortunes of Britain's wealthiest individuals and has almost halved the number of the nation's billionaires.

Figures compiled for the Sunday Times Rich List 2009 reveal that the number of billionaires has fallen from 75 to 43 in the past 12 months.

Mittal, still the richest man in the UK, has seen his wealth plunging to 10.8 billion pounds from 33 billion pounds last year. He dropped 1.9 million pounds an hour.

The Steel tycoon is still around 4 billion pounds richer than closest rival Roman Abramovich.

The Chelsea owner, 42, saw his fortune dive by 4.7 billion pounds to 7 billion pounds. Kirsty Bertarelli stuill remains Britain's wealthiest woman. The former Miss UK and biotechnology tycoon husband Ernesto, both 37, share a 5 billion pounds fortune despite losing 650 million pounds. Other big losers include F1 One supremo Bernie Ecclestone, 78.

The current estimates suggest that the 1,000 wealthiest people in the UK have seen over half of their cumulative wealth wiped out by the recession, from 412 billion pounds in 2008 to around 200 billion pounds today, The Daily Telegraph reported.

ANI