I thought I’d scooped just £10,000 on the Postcode Lottery – I was shocked when it turned out to be a HUGE amount more
A POSTCODE Lottery winner who thought she scooped £10,000 was astonished to discover the real figure.
Three neighbours in the latest Millionaire Street in Poole, Dorset, were met with with the coveted ‘knock on the door’ on Saturday 14 September.
One of the lucky winners was Amy House, 40, who works on the maternity ward at Poole Hospital.
Amy, who scooped £250,000, revealed how she initially believed it would be a five-figure sum, likely on the lower end.
But when discovering the truth, Amy said: “Oh my goodness! Is this a dream?
“I told myself it might be ten, twenty, thirty maybe… I never expected six figures.
“I’d really like a new front door.”
Amy said the win could help speed up the completion of an extension to the home she shares with husband Tom, who is an electrician.
Tom has been using his spare time to work on the extension in between his day job.
But now the couple are hoping to use some of the winnings to complete the renovation sooner and spend more time together as a family.
The mum-of-one also said she wants to buy a campervan for the family so she can visit her brother in California.
The thrilled NHS worker added: “Maybe that would be something we’d look at just so we can go off odd weekends with our little boy somewhere and have a bit of a break from the extension, which might be finished.”
Amy was beaming as she admitted her and her young family were now spoilt for choice and was keen to get travelling.
She said: “A little holiday definitely. Maybe a family holiday and a fun holiday for our son.”
Along Millionaire Street a few doors down were winners Brian Lewis, 65, and wife Chris who received a whopping £250,000.
Brian said: “I feel absolutely stunned – quarter of a millionaire!”
Chris added: “No! Oh my God. Is that really real?”
The couple said they might have to take a holiday to figure out what to do with the money.
Training company owner Brian seemed to be contemplating his dream car.
He said: “I’ve always wanted a Range Rover, so I will be getting myself one.
“I’m not quite sure what type or where, but I’ll definitely be getting a Range Rover.”
The pair have five children between them in their late twenties and early thirties, and they are keen to be generous parents.
Brian was hospitalised with pneumonia and a severe case of Covid when he contracted it for the second time which landed him in intensive care.
He was there for 10 day before developing sepsis, but thankfully made a full recovery.
As his son works for Virgin Airlines he debated asking him for holiday advice.
The pair are now planning a trip South Africa as it’s been on Chris’ bucket list.
She said: “What I really, really, want to do is a safari. I’d love a safari.”
How to enter the People's Postcode Lottery
- The Postcode Lottery is a subscription-based lottery in which players sign up with their postcode.
- Your postcode is your ticket number – 40p a day ensures entry into all drawers, or £12 a month.
- Once subscribed, they are automatically entered into every draw.
- Prizes are announced every day of the month.
- If your postcode gets luck, every player in your postcode wins.
- 33% of the ticket price will go to charity that is refunnelled back into the community.
One of the neighbours, who had two tickets, was able to double their prize up to £500,000.
Postcode Lottery ticket sales offer prize money to ticket holders and to local charities.
In this instance, Poole Communities Trust has been awarded £70,000 by the Postcode Community Trust.
This cause supports the Bourne Community, Branksome Community Centre and a centre at Turlin Moor.
Chief Officer at Poole Communities Trust Hannah Baker said: “Today’s funding is absolutely incredible – we’re going to put some towards our priority services as well as a new skate park in the Turlin Moor area.
“We started the community food shop at Bourne Community Hub in 2022 and have seen the number of families that use it grow steadily since then.”
Other local charities that have been awarded funding are disability charity People First Forum winning £50,000, Hope for Food with £30,000, and Dorset Parent Infant Partnership who were awarded £30,000.