Golden envelopes land on Bolton street as neighbours scoop £1m lottery win

A wife had the last laugh when she was presented with the golden cheque, while her neighbour was ‘lost for words’.

There was excitement in FarnworthThursday when huge golden envelopes were spotted in Reed Close.

Now it can be revealed who the the lucky recipients were.

Forty-nine-year-old Marie Freeman was presented with a cheque for £83,333 with Bl4 7EF and named a Millionaire Street winner, as the luck did not stop there.

For nine neighbours shared a £1m People’s Postcode Lottery prize.

Marie said her husband Jason had always been sceptical about the lottery, joking any winnings would be minimal.

She said: “He thought I’d win about 78p. Then when I said it might be £1,000, he said maybe £2,000 if I was lucky.

She said: “He just didn’t think it would ever be anything big.

“In his head it was always going to be small amounts, if anything at all.

“I’m glad he was so wrong – it still doesn’t feel real. It’s like a dream.”

Marie, a vocational trainer, said she revealed the news to her husband via video call while he was at work, before holding up the cheque to the camera.

Marie phones hubby Jason with news of win (Image: Postcode Lottery)

His reaction, she said, was immediate: “Get in! That’s amazing.

“Don’t spend it all before I am home.”

She added that one of the first things he mentioned was upgrading his marine aquarium, saying he would be “looking at bigger fish tanks straight away”. 

She said: said: “He absolutely loves his fish.

“He’s got a proper marine tank in our dining room – all the corals, the colours, everything. When it’s all lit up, it’s beautiful… even if I don’t always admit it to him!”

Marie says hubby Jason will want a new aquarium (Image: Postcode Lottery)

The other winner, Ignatious Areekal, 37, said he was “lost for words” after scooping the same £83,333 prize just two months after signing up.

Ignatious won at his apartment block (Image: Postcode Lottery)

The hospital radiographer, who lives nearby with his wife and young daughter, said the money would help the family buy their first home.

“This will help us buy a new house… somewhere for my family,” he said.

“Maybe a small trip somewhere, too. My wife has a plan. And my daughter likes playing out. I will take her out and buy some toys for her.”

Ignatious added he had signed up to support charities and had not expected to win.

Both winners said sharing the prize with neighbours made the experience more meaningful.

Marie said: “It’s amazing to win with the people around you.

“Everyone on this street is so friendly. We all look out for each other. It’s a proper little community.”

Three players on the winning postcode doubled their prize to £166,666 by holding two tickets.

Several local charities have also benefited from funding linked to the draw, including Bolton Guild of Help, which received £60,000.

The organisation supports vulnerable people across the town with essentials such as household goods, financial advice and community services.

Bolton Guild of Help (Image: Postcode Lottery)

Chairman Richard Davies said the funding had come “at just the right time” and would help meet growing demand.

Other groups to receive funding include Families and Babies, Precious Gems, Breaking Barriers NW and Befriending & Adult Autism Support.

Ms Freeman said much of her winnings would go towards helping family and creating shared experiences.

Top of her list is attending a friend’s wedding in Spain without worrying about the cost, as well as supporting relatives and helping her stepdaughter settle into a new home.

“It’s about making memories,” she said.

She also plans to cover veterinary costs for the family’s dog, which requires surgery.

Despite the life-changing win, she said the shock had yet to wear off.

“It’s like I’m in a dream,” she added.