Arbroath neighbours celebrate with share of £180,000 lottery windfall

Jamie Cooper (33) is one of six people celebrating after DD11 1TR was announced as a winner with People’s Postcode Lottery on Sunday. The neighbours won £30,000 each.

Textile worker and dad-of-one, Jamie, got the surprise of his life when he received a knock on his door after deleting an email from Postcode Lottery thinking it was too good to be true.

He said: “I ignored an email I got from Postcode Lottery telling me I’d won because I thought it wasn’t real. When I got the chap at my door I started shaking and my mouth went completely dry. It’s been the best surprise ever.

“This changes everything for me and my family. I want a new kitchen, to do up the house a bit and go on a once in a lifetime holiday, maybe two once in a lifetime holidays!

“I’ve wanted to go to Disneyworld in Florida since I was ten years old and it’d be pretty incredible to take my nine-year-old son and my partner Leanne.

Computing teacher Christine Glass also scooped the five-figure sum. The mum of two is set to marry fiancé Rob in July and plans to put her winnings towards the wedding.

She said: “As soon as end of term happens, we’re flying to Chicago, grabbing some Harley Davidsons and doing Route 66 past Vegas. We thought while we’re there we might as well get married by Elvis.

Moira Thom (73) was joined by Hugh, her husband of 55 years, when her £30,000 prize was revealed.

She said: “My knees are going. I can’t keep this smile from my face. It’s a big, big surprise. I never expected to win that amount of money ever. We might go to Australia to see our son and granddaughters. We haven’t seen them for three years because of Covid.

Also winning was 56-year-old chef Graeme Carnegie who was joined by his partner Jenna, mum Iona and brother Mark when he got the good news and plans to take them on holiday.

He said: “We’ll probably go somewhere like Mexico or Thailand. It’s unbelievable. We’ll crack open a bottle of champagne and have a few glasses to celebrate later.”

The other winners chose to remain anonymous but their prize will be paid to their bank account.

People’s Postcode Lottery ambassador Jeff Brazier said: “I’ve had a lot of fun in Arbroath knocking doors, ringing bells and surprising our winners with lovely big cheques. It was a pleasure to meet Jamie, Christine, Moira and Graeme and it sounds like they’re all going to have a lot of fun with their winnings!”

People’s Postcode Lottery costs £10 a month to play and there are guaranteed winners every day. People play with their chosen postcode and are automatically entered into all draws.

Players of People’s Postcode Lottery have helped raise over £900 million to date for thousands of good causes across Britain and internationally.

This draw was promoted on behalf of Postcode International Trust, which awards funding to charities creating sustainable solutions to alleviate poverty and hunger. British Red Cross, Mary’s Meals and Action Against Hunger are a few of the charities supported.