A MAN who won £180,000 on People’s Postcode Lottery said he owes it to his late mum.
Paul and Joanne Tomlinson from Greater Manchester scooped the eye-watering windfall on the weekly Millionare Street draw.
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The lucky couple forked on a £1million jackpot after their street in SK14 4PU won the Postcode Lottery prize.
But they said the win was all down to Paul’s late mum, Irene.
The son, 40, said his beloved mum inspired him to buy a lottery ticket after she had won £2,217 in 2018.
He said: “She won a few years ago, and we joined up because of that.
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“She was so happy with her win, and treated herself to things she wanted for the house, such as new carpets.
“I went with her to the event. She was more excited to see the celebrities than her prize. She’d be ecstatic for us.”
Five years later, the couple tried their luck only to find out they had bagged a combined total of £181,818.
But the Tomlinson’s were at first wary about claiming the prize – because they thought it was a scam.
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Joanne, 38, said: “The email came from Edinburgh and Paul said not to give any bank details.
“Then we got a phone number from a woman asking if she could come to our house to reveal our prize.
“We started to feel like it might be real.”
It wasn’t until Postcode Lottery star Jeff Brazier knocked on their door and pulled out a cheque for £90,909 that the couple confirmed the life-changing news.
Joanne said: “It was just a shock, both of us were in complete shock.
“Neither of us could speak. They were trying to get us to do an interview – but nothing would come out.”
The mum-of-four, who works as a nursing assistant, is now looking forward to treat her family.
Paul is hoping for a private registration plate for his car and new trainers, while Joanne is planning a well-deserved break.
She said: “There has to be a holiday in it for us. We’ve never spent money on ourselves – it’s always been the kids. To share the joy with other people in the area is brilliant.
“We haven’t been very lucky people until today”.
The delighted couple is also planning to buy the rented house they have lived in for eleven years.
Joanne said: “Our neighbours are really pleased for us, as are our family.
“We are happy here and now we can buy it and not have a landlord – it has finally given us some security.”
It comes as a man who won £2.4million on the lottery won a medal for England thanks to an amazing purchase with his winnings.
Neil Jones, 59, had just £13 in his pocket when he and partner Julie Kirkham scooped the life-changing cash just before Christmas 2010.
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