A STEAM engine fan is chuffed to bits after winning £1million on the National Lottery “by accident”.
Neil Leighton, 24, plans to spend the money on building a studio to make home movies about his favourite train.
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Unmarried Neil struck lucky on a Cash Bolt Christmas Millionaire game two days after downloading the National Lottery app onto his mobile.
He said: “My love of steam trains started with Thomas the Tank Engine when I was three and I never grew out of it.
“Now, if I’m not visiting a railway, I’m busy writing and filming my own take on Thomas the Tank Engine storylines.
“Top of my spending list is buying my own home where I can have a room for making and editing my Thomas films.
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”Part-time Assistant General Manager Neil, from Hereford, kept the win a secret from his parents but gave the game away by his beaming smile.
He said: “I walked into the house and my mum and dad both jokingly said I looked far too happy, what had I been buying?
“When I told them I’d bought something, a National Lottery Instant Win Game and I’d won £1m, mum screamed, used some colourful language and then was convinced it was a scam.”
Once Neil had downloaded the app he was aimlessly playing the Cash Bolt Christmas Millionaire game while he was chatting with pals when he got a message he had won the huge sum of money.
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“I said to my friends ‘I’ve won a million’ and left the chat,” he said.
He tried calling the National Lottery to confirm his big win but the phone lines were not open at that time of night, so he hopped back onto the call with his friends, telling them he thought he had won £1m.
“They were so happy for me although there was plenty of joking that only I could have won £1m by accident,” he said.
Neil was presented with this cheque at the Talyllyn Railway in North Wales where he was taken on a celebration train ride.
His dream is to one day have his own Thomas the Tank steam train.
Neil said: “If someone had told me two weeks ago I would be in a position to own a steam train I’d have laughed.
“But then if someone had told me I’d be a millionaire I’d also have laughed – it just goes to show, magic can happen.”
He is not planning to give up his job but wants to travel, take driving lessons and treat his family.
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