Neighbours win a share of £3m lottery jackpot
SIX PLAYERS IN ONE STREET WON £250K
A Great-great-grandfather will be treating his family after winning £250,000 with People’s Postcode e Lottery.
Alan Stanley, 75, was one of f 1,781 neighbours from Hull who o shared a £3m prize pot on Friday.
The win comes after their r postcode sector, HU7 4, was announced as the winner of People’s Postcode Lottery Postcode Millions prize.
Six players, including Alan, played with the full winning postcode, HU7 4HZ, meaning they each pocketed £250,000.
Alan Stanley and his wife Yvonne were both left “teary and almost speechless” when their cheque was revealed on a video call with lottery ambassador Judie Mccourt.
Alan said: “I’m dumbstruck, I don’t know what to say. It’s unbelievable. I honestly cannot believe it.”
Yvonne added: “Oh my God. Oh my God. I absolutely did not expect that. When you see it on the TV you don’t think it’s real, but it obviously is!”
With six grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild, the couple have a lot of family members to treat with the winnings.
Yvonne said: “We’ll give it to the children and it’s up to them to decide who gets what. Obviously people are struggling right now, so it will be a nice surprise. “Everybody is having such a horrible time right now, but now we can treat everybody. We can share it around. I’m so happy!”
Alan added: “We will make some people happy, not as happy as us though!”
While helping out the family is top of the list, the couple also look forward to planning their next holiday.
Yvonne said: “If we could fly off somewhere, we’d be flying off tomorrow! We absolutely love our holidays so the next one will be a big touring holiday. Australia or Canada, C somewhere like that.”
Alan said: “I’d love to go to Egypt to see the pyramids.”
When asked if they’d be celebrating tonight, Yvonne said: “I’m on Slimming World so I shouldn’t be drinking tonight, but I might have to. I might need to have a gin and tonic now!”
Another lucky resident scooping £250,000 was 70-year-old Stephen Ward.
Stephen was “over the moon” when he found out how much he’d won. His wife Judie could be heard “screaming and celebrating” in the background.
Stephen said: “This is lifechanging! I don’t mind being in lockdown with that in the bank. We can sit at home wondering how to spend it.
“It’s absolutely the best thing ever. It’s a dream come true.”
While it may have to wait a while, Stephen and Judie have special plans for when they can travel.
Stephen said: “We have our 25th wedding anniversary in August and I was hoping to go back to where we had our honeymoon in Ibiza, but my wife has always wanted to go to Hawaii, so I think we will go there when it’s allowed.”
“We thought we’d be having another 2020, but now we have something to look forward to. It’s just incredible for everyone in the area.
“To know that other people are going through the same emotions as me, and to think how much it will benefit them is just amazing”
When asked how they would celebrate, Stephen said: “Well, we can’t go out and we don’t drink!”
Judie added: “We might start now!”
Prize sums for the remaining 1,775, players in the sector ranged from £778 to £3,112, depending on the number of tickets played with.
People’s Postcode Lottery ambassador Judie Mccourt said: “A huge congratulations to all of our winners in Hull! It’s been a tough start to the year for everyone, but it’s great to give some good news to so many people. I hope they enjoy treating themselves and their families with the money.”
This is life-changing! It’s absolutely the best thing ever. It’s a dream come true
Stephen Ward