Factory worker hands in notice after winning £8m jackpot
A FACTORY shift manager was left in “a state of shock” – after winning nearly £8 million in the National Lottery with numbers he has been playing every week for the past 11 years.
Philip Thomas Dunning, 44, and his partner Gina Meikle both handed in their resignations after winning £7,864,529 in Saturday’s Lotto draw.
The couple, of Bo’ness, Falkirk, received a phone call while getting ready for bed on Saturday from their friend Sandra Easton, 45, who told them they had won. He went into work just hours later and completed a shift, before handing in his resignation the following day.
Ms Easton, who matched the lucky couple up 11 years ago, knew the numbers that Mr Dunning regularly puts on every week.
Now, Mr Dunning and Ms Meikle, who worked at Caledonian Produce in Bo’ness, are looking forward to splashing their cash on a new house and car.
Mr Dunning, who had worked at the food production factory for 15 years, said it was a “fantastic feeling” to leave his job.
He said: “I still can’t take it in.
“It will change our life but won’t change our life as people.
“We’ve not got any concrete plans but we will buy a new house and a new car.
“We went to work as normal at 4am and had the ticket sitting in my wallet throughout the shift. Every minute I was checking to see if it was still there in case I lost it.
“I went into work on the Monday morning and first thing I did was hand in my resignation, as did my partner.”
Mr Dunning bought his ticket from the Newtown Post Office in Bo’ness on Saturday afternoon. Owner of the store, Mohammad Sajid, sold the ticket and was “chuffed” to see his “loyal” customer scoop the big prize.
He said: “He’s a nice customer, he comes in regularly and I always see him. I’m really pleased for him. He’s one of those pleasant people who never rushes you.
“All the customers told me I sold him the winning ticket.
“I’m chuffed it happened in my shop, it’s the first big one I’ve had.”