Postcode Lottery pensioners have been brought to tears after five homes in Teeside won a collective £1million. Retired joiner Barry Cook choked back tears and hugged his sobbing wife Dot after their £200,000 cheque from the People’s Postcode Lottery was revealed.
The 81-year-old had been due to have a hip replacement on the same day the win was announced, but his appointment had been cancelled, so instead he was at home with his wife when they heard the life-changing news. The couple – who will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary in October – said they’ll take care of their two daughters and five grandsons with the money won, and will also spend them on a trip to Wimbledon, and a well-earned holiday.
Barry said, as reported by TeesideLive: “Bloody Hellfire, I can’t believe that! I’ve never been as emotional in my life. I didn’t expect anything at all like this. It’s just blown me away. There’s our girls; we’ll see them alright and take it from there.”
Kathleen Slee, who lives two doors down, won her share a day after getting a cataract removed in her left eye. The 78-year-old said: “This is a dream. I always say when the advert comes on the television, ‘you’ve never been to my door yet, have you?’ It’s not real, I’m in a daze.
“I got my left eye done yesterday and I told all the nursing staff in the hospital about me getting a call to say I’d won.” Hubby John, 81, said: “If we can win it anybody can. It’s surreal, I can’t get my head round it.”
Kathleen, who has three children and five grandchildren, said: “I want to treat the family to a holiday. We’ll let them all pick. We’ll have a discussion and see where they all want to go. It would be nice to go somewhere we’ve never been.”
She’d also like to treat herself to some retail therapy, adding: “I like shopping. I like dresses and wearing nice things on holiday, like Kurt Geiger.”
She’s set to throw a family party in celebration, which also coincides with their Diamond Wedding anniversary later this year.
Across the cul-de-sac, after taking a look at her cheque, great gran May Arnold joked: “Well, I’m not cooking dinner tonight.”
The energetic 88-year-old whirled around the garden and revealed plans to hit a local restaurant with her family to celebrate the win, and she will give most of the money to her family.
May said: “I’ve got grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I won’t see much of this, but the family will. It’ll be an absolute Godsend to a lot of them. They’re all starting out in life and I’m sure it’ll go a long way to sorting them out.”
“We’ll go down to The Three Horseshoes and have a couple of bottles of fizz. And we’ll probably have a family holiday. I’ve got everything I need.”
Five neighbours in Billingham, Cornforth Grove, landed the lottery’s weekly street prize with every ticket worth £200,000.