It’s changed our lives a lotto

NATIONAL LOTTERY WAS BORN 25 YRS AGO

Since the first National Lottery draw almost 25 years ago, who hasn’t dreamed of winning big and whiled away hours discussing how the money would be spent, the mortgages it would pay off, the flash cars and the holidays it would buy?

That first draw was on November 19, 1994, and so far £71billion has gone to UK winners across all National Lottery games, creating more than 5,500 millionaires and multi-millionaires, with seven millionaires made in an average week.

Ahead of its 25th birthday next month, the Mirror has caught up with five winners to hear how they used the cash.

Ruth Doyle, 55, and husband Peter,

64, from Lyneham, Wilts, won £1million on Euromillions in June, 2015.

Ruth says: “We’ve travelled to amazing places like Japan, the Maldives, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

“But our most important trip came two years after our win, when we drove a van to Romania to rescue 13 dogs who had been abandoned or left to die.

“We were only able to go on our mission because we retired after the win.

“I was an accountant, and Peter a consultant decorator trainer.

“When we got to Romania and reached the charity’s shelter, Happys, we helped walk and socialise the dogs, and although their stories were heartbreaking, they were the lucky ones – there were abandoned and dead dogs wherever we drove.

“We brought the dogs back to the UK, and they went to new homes.

“We foster dogs ourselves for 1 Dog At A Time Rescue UK, and our own two rescue dogs have also benefited from our win. We were able to spend £6,000 on a new hip for Bailey, our rescue collie.

“He’s nearly 10, and it’s given him a new lease of life. He and our other rescue, Lily, are like children to us. We’ve rescued 17 dogs and 15 of them have been helped through our win.

“We were able to extend the house, creating a large bedroom – with plenty of room for us and the dogs to sleep.

“Once a year, I fly my siblings to our home in Spain so we can be together. Winning has been a force for good.”

Amy Pryor, 30, and husband Adam, 35, from Maidstone, Kent, won £1million on Euromillions in August, 2017.

Adam says: “We won after a tough year. Our daughter Charlotte was born seven weeks early with a cleft palate and was then diagnosed with a chromosome 11 abnormality, and was totally deaf in one ear and partially deaf in another.

“The first eight months of her life were spent with hospital visits. As Amy’s maternity pay was due to end, the cost of getting to hospital in London added to our worry.

“I was working an extra 60 hours a month as money was so tight, so my first thought when I realised I’d won was, ‘We won’t have to worry about

We drove a van over to Romania to save 13 dogs who had been left to die RUTH DOYLE WINNER OF £1MILLION EUROMILLIONS PRIZE

paying the mortgage’. My next thought was that Amy didn’t have to worry about returning to work.

“We swapped our two-bed house for a four-bed detached home, which is just 400 yards from the special school that Charlotte will attend.

“We could spend £1,500 building a sensory room in the spare bedroom. Charlotte loves this room. She loves the tubes with bubbles and fish.

“It’s a space which makes her so happy, she laughs and chuckles and doesn’t stop. She’s a gorgeous threeyear-old girl who loves her cuddles and her music. We don’t know exactly what the future holds for her, but we know it’s far brighter than before.”

Fred Higgins, 69, and wife Lesley, 58, from Dundee, won £58million on Euromillions in July last year.

Lesley says: “Once the shock of our win had settled – and it took ages to stop watching the pennies – we decided to help out projects that would last, and span generations.

“I was in an amateur dramatic group, and knew another member, Chris Duke, was crowdfunding to raise £2,000 to pay an illustrator for a children’s book he’d written, helping youngsters deal with emotions.

“It was about a little girl whose hair changed colour to match her feelings – blue for depression, red for anger.

“We spent around £36,000 helping get it published and holding one of the first copies sent tingles up my spine. One young woman who read it said she wished she’d had it as a teenager, as it would have helped her cope with mood swings.

“We also funded harps for a harp group. But we still have our old Volvo car.”

Neil Jones, 55, of Stokeon-trent, Staffs, won £2.4million on Lotto in 2010. Neil says: “The win enabled me to go back to my love of playing pool, and when I was chosen for the county team – and then had a trial for England in 2017 – I was so happy. The day of my trial, I was thinking of my dad, who passed away a year before. It would have made so happy to know I was that close to playing for my country.

“The win enabled me to have the time to practise and compete at this level, and to get better and better.” Matthew Evans, 41, from Barry, South Wales, won £2.6million in 2015. Matthew says: “I’m a Cardiff City season ticket holder, and an avid supporter of the Welsh national team. So it made perfect sense for me to create my own football pitch. I installed a full-size goal and eight-man dug out in my garden and added a Welsh dragon mosaic in tribute to the national team.

“If I’m not watching as a supporter, I’m having a kickabout with my dad and my pals. Welsh football and Cardiff City FC are my passions, so to be able to travel everywhere to watch them has been unreal.

“I’m also a massive fan of American football and American sport in general, but instead of watching on telly like I used to, I regularly fly to the States for live games. The win made my dreams come true.”