Wigan HGV driver claims staggering EuroMillions win

Bernie Prescott, from Wigan, is celebrating after a huge win on the EuroMillions

A Wigan man is celebrating after winning more than £124,000 on the National Lottery EuroMillions.

Bernie Prescott, 63, and his wife Donna, 59, originally thought they had won just £10 until Bernie checked again and realised his prize was six figures. Bernie, a HGV driver, now plans to celebrate Donna’s 60th birthday in style after scooping the huge win.

The pair also plan to go on holiday, make some home improvements and treat their family. Before Bernie could claim the prize, he said he had rack his brain to try and remember where he bought the lucky ticket.

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Due to the nature of his job, he thought he had got it whilst out on the road. Dad-of-two Bernie said: “With my shift pattern, I’m here, there and everywhere all over the country, so I’m often at motorway services and that’s usually where I’d buy my lottery tickets.

“So, when the claims team asked me where I’d bought it, I didn’t have the foggiest, so it took a little longer to go through.”

Bernie was later able to confirm that he had in fact picked up his Lucky Dip ticket at his local Post Office on a rare day off work, so the pair were able to begin celebrating their huge win. Plans for spending their new fortune include a dream Mediterranean cruise, new kitchen and house extension.

Bernie said: “I play Lucky Dip on EuroMillions regularly but have never won anything more than a tenner, so when I saw I’d matched some numbers, I just assumed it was another £10. I checked the numbers again with Donna and we called The National Lottery to ask how much we’d won.

“I honestly couldn’t believe it when they said the amount. This sort of thing doesn’t happen to people like us – even our family didn’t believe us when we first told them and thought we were winding them up.

“Now, we’re excited to start spending. We’ve already given some to our children and we’re planning to take a luxury cruise later in the year to some destinations we’ve spent our lives dreaming about. Donna has a big birthday coming up next month, so we’re looking forward to making that even more special, it’ll certainly be one to remember.”

Caroline Talbot, winners’ advisor at Allwyn, operator of The National Lottery, said: “I couldn’t be happier for Bernie and Donna. They’re such a lovely couple and this win couldn’t have happened to nicer people.

“I know they’ll really enjoy every moment of spending their prize, and I hope it helps make Donna’s 60th birthday truly special. Huge congratulations to them both..

Bernie played the EuroMillions draw on Friday, January 2. He matched five main numbers and a lucky star.