Lincolnshire woman almost missed out on £400,000 Postcode Lottery win

Tracey nearly cancelled the jackpot ticket at the home she was moving from before the sale was completed

A Lincolnshire mum was left gobsmacked after winning almost £400,000 in the Postcode Lottery – but it nearly didn’t happen. Tracey Hill, 59, almost missed out on the whopping prize as she had come close to cancelling the ticket at her former family home in Sutton-on-Sea but decided to continue playing until the sale was completed.

As reported last week, hundreds of Postcode Lottery players in the LN12 2 postcode sector were in line to snag a share of an incredible £12.3-million prize pot. As it turned out, Tracey won the biggest cheque of all after matching her exact postcode.

A tearful Tracey spoke of her relief at deciding to carry on with the ticket just days before the life-changing windfall was revealed. She said: “I would have cancelled the ticket next week. I thought about doing it earlier but then thought ‘you just never know’.

“If I’d cancelled earlier, I would have felt sick. But I decided to wait until after the house was sold. I thought it would have been sod’s law otherwise.

“The bungalow we owned for 20 years has been up for sale for two-and-a-half years. I can’t believe this has happened on the day we completed on the house, especially with all the problems we had trying to sell it. My head’s been all over the place, but this is just amazing. It’s a lot of money.”

After learning of her £389,846 winnings, the holiday park deputy manager was left shocked again when her new home – a villa near Sutton-on-Sea – bagged her a second cheque for £7,851 because it lies within the wider postcode sector. This gave Tracey a grand total of £397,697.

Tracey was the only player in the full winning postcode LN12 2GF to land the lottery’s signature Postcode Millions prize on Saturday, April 25. Another 1,334 players in the LN12 2 postcode sector area, including Tracey, won prizes ranging from £7,851 to £47,106, depending on how many tickets they play with.

The incredible community win sent a buzz through the close-knit town as around 3,000 people turned up in the spring sunshine for a special event at Sutton Rovers Football Club on Saturday. The crowd cheered when it was revealed Tracey’s win was the reason for them all landing their prizes.

When lottery ambassador Matt Johnson presented Tracey with her second cheque, she said: “To be honest, I thought it was all combined in the first one. I’m in even more shock now after getting another cheque. It makes you feel a bit greedy.”

The mum-of-one and husband Tony, 70, are now thinking about how to spend their new fortune. She said: “I’m just shocked, it’s amazing – a life-changing amount of money. There’s so much we’ll be able to do now that we couldn’t before – new carpets, new furniture, a couple more holidays this year, a new car and just enjoy it.”

Retired gas mains layer and handyman Tony said: “I’m just amazed. I might get a new car. I’ve not had one for years. I’d like a Mercedes, if I can remember how to drive!

“I like mountain biking too. I might get myself a titanium mountain bike.”

Their daughter Leanne Lowe, 42, will also benefit from her mum’s new fortune. Tracey – who turns 60 in October – said: “I’ll treat my daughter. She lives in the area, but she’s gutted that she doesn’t play the Postcode Lottery!”

Pet lover Tracey – who has two dogs, two cats, four rabbits and three guinea pigs – first joined the lottery to support animal charities. And she might get another whippet to chum up with the one she already has, called Lola – alongside their Staffie, Indie. She added: “I normally do some 10k runs every now and again and try to raise money for local animal charities like Fur Babies guinea pig and rabbit rescue, Hensell Goat Rescue Care Farm and Cats Protection.”

Tracey also spoke of the warmth she felt from the community, saying: “Everyone’s been so nice saying ‘thank you’ and ‘congratulations’. Friends have been crying for me.”

Meanwhile, kind-hearted John Wilson bought wife Dorothy three Postcode Lottery tickets as a Christmas present last year – and she scooped £23,553. Dorothy, 71, was left overwhelmed when she found out her husband’s gift had paid out less than five months later. The grandmother said: “This is amazing – the best Christmas present ever. My husband bought the tickets for me as a surprise. Now I’m saying, ‘bless him’.” John, 73, said: “I don’t know what made me buy the tickets. I just thought we’d see if we’d win something for Christmas. We’ve had to wait a bit longer, but it’s been worth it.”

Elsewhere, secretary Angie Shaw, 51, joined after twin sister Pip Metcalfe won more than £6,000 when a £7.9m Postcode Lottery Millions prize was shared by residents in nearby Mablethorpe in October 2022. Mum-of-two Angie said: “I signed up because my sister had won, but I never expected to win at all. I’ll treat my children and it’ll help toward my garage conversion.” Angie revealed their brother had also won with two tickets, as well as her sister-in-law and mother-in-law with one ticket each.

More than 26 years ago, Sutton Rovers volunteers hosted a youth football fundraiser involving a borrowed donkey and £2 bets. Two couples Ged and Jackie Roberts, and Karen and Mark Turner – friends for 35 years – were busy raising cash for their kids’ team with their infamous ‘donkey drop’.

Squares were sold, the donkey was released, and wherever it ‘did its business,’ someone scooped a prize. Ged, 71, grinned: “We raised over £1,000 for the team. All the kids even got a football trip to Holland out of it thanks to everyone who generously played The Donkey Drop.”

Fast forward, and the same group – along with pals Hazel and Steve Wood – are celebrating after having three winning tickets for £7,851 each. Ged said: “I mean £2,000, I’m happy with that,” as wife Jackie, 65, shot back: “I’ll have the rest then!”

Now on ‘cloud nine,’ bubbly Karen, 69, is already planning a group getaway. Mark, 70, said: “We’ll all go – us four, Hazel and Steve. Italy maybe?”

Proud Sutton Rovers secretary Maureen Olaribigbe, 64, said the wins reached deep into the club and wider community, from sports teams to social groups. Maureen, who didn’t have a ticket, said: “Our bingo players – nearly every seat was taken on Wednesday – and I think about 35 of them have won.

“About eight of the walking football team and I know for a fact there’s four in the darts team. Loads of our friends, neighbours – we reckon we know about 80 people who’ve won.”

She added: “It’s like a family here. Everybody knows everybody, so to see people who don’t have a lot suddenly get thousands of pounds – it’s lovely. But it’s not just about the money. It’s about seeing people smile, seeing the town come alive.”

Postcode Lottery says its players have helped raise more than £1.7 billion for thousands of charities. One of those charities, Young Lives vs Cancer, has received over £24 million in funding. They provide vital emotional, practical, financial and clinical support to young cancer patients and their families.

Overall, 1,335 players won prizes in the LN12 2 postcode area including one who took home £47,106 with six tickets and 19 players who bagged £23,553 playing three tickets each.

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