A DINNER lady has been left baffled when she found out she had won a £3million coastal home in a raffle that raises money for a charity.
The incredible prize came as a shock to Rose Doyle, 73, after she had been enrolled in the draw automatically thanks to a subscription.
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The gran-of-four from Birmingham has been handed the keys to a five-bedroom house in Cornwall as she won the latest Omaze Million Pound House Draw.
The stunning property comes mortgage free and with all legal fees covered, and is fitted with a hot tub and panoramic views.
But Rose’s luck doesn’t end there – as she secured a whopping £100,000 cash prize on top of that.
She said: “When they confirmed the prize I was an emotional wreck!
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“This win is life changing for us – it’s fantastic for our family’s future – they won’t have to struggle as much as we had to.”
Rose had no idea what kind of house to expect when she entered the £25 raffle.
As an Omaze subscriber, she has been participating in every draw automatically and wasn’t keeping track of the prizes.
Rose said: “I had no clue what we’d won at first.
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“We thought maybe it was a little holiday to Cornwall or a few hundred pounds – we didn’t think for one minute that we’d won a £3million pound house there – things like that just don’t happen to people like us.”
Rose has worked two jobs as a sales assistant and a dinner lady at school but can now retire after 17 years thanks to her newfound fortune.
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Her husband of 46 years, Tony, is now considering an early retirement too after 25 years as a gas engineer.
The mum-of-two has lived with her spouse in the same three-bedroom house in Birmingham the entirety of their married life.
The whole neighbourhood had gathered to celebrate their lottery win and give their congratulations.
Rose said: “After everyone had left, we had a couple of large brandies to calm our nerves, the whole thing feels like a dream – we keep expecting someone to wake us up at any moment.”
The gorgeous property is only minutes away from St Agnes beach and sits on an elevated position with stunning views of the picturesque village and iconic historical Engine House.
An exceptional example of modern architecture, the house itself is framed by trees and verdant gardens while its private driveway leads to a landscaped courtyard with ample parking.
Upon entering the house, guests are greeted in a spacious entry hall with a vaulted ceiling and a natural stone floor.
The property has a big open concept kitchen, dining and family area with herringbone oak floors throughout.
The house boasts five bedrooms total, a laundry room, a boot room, and a bathroom with a huge separate shower and a free-standing bathtub.
The master bedroom is equipped with en-suite and opens up to amazing scenery of St Agnes with access to a rear terrace offering more views.
There’s also a garden/studio room, a versatile area with a window overlooking the house that might be used as a home office.
Rose says the new house “is absolutely gorgeous” and she will “never get bored of walking onto the balcony and taking in these stunning views.”
She said: “We’ve been to Cornwall once before back in the eighties for a family holiday – we never imagined we’d own a £3 million mansion here one day, I just can’t comprehend it.”
The couple are anticipating their phones to buzz nonstop with calls from relatives as their new family house becomes a hot spot for holidays.
As Rose gets used to this new reality, she talks of her future plans with the prize.
Rose explained: “I’m not sure what we’re going to do long term yet – we’ll definitely enjoy it as a family for a bit – whatever we decide to do, it’s going to change all our lives for the better – it’s a true miracle.”
But besides making Rose a proud owner of a coastal retreat, the Omaze Million Pound House Draw also raised £3.1 million for WWF – organisation working to conserve endangered species.
The raffle funds will be used to grow the organization’s youth ambassadors programme – which will involve more young people in the decision-making process around restoring nature.
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Tanya Steele, CEO at WWF said: “At such a crucial time for our planet, we’re thrilled and so grateful to Omaze and to everyone who entered the Omaze Million Pound House draw in Cornwall, who have raised a phenomenal £3.1 million for WWF.
“The money raised through this draw will go towards our vital work protecting wildlife and restoring nature, both on our doorsteps in the UK and around the world.
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