A bus driver celebrated a £1m National Lottery scratchcard win with a doner kebab as he set about planning to buy his first home.
Steve Goodwin decided to buy a scratchcard after popping to his local supermarket to buy some bread.
He scratched it outside the Co-op in Holsworthy, Devon, while waiting for his tea at a neighbouring kebab shop.
Steve, 51 and originally from Leicester, said he wept tears of joy after realising he had hit the jackpot.
He is now planning to buy his first house and treat girlfriend Heidi Hammond, also 51, to a luxury holiday.
Recalling his Easter Monday win, Steve said: “I needed some bits and bobs from the Co-Op.
“But I went into the kebab shop next door first to order a doner.
“I then shopped in the store for some bread and stuff and got to the till to pay.
“I decided to buy a scratchcard and scratched it when I got outside. The final number on the card was 73 which I hoped meant I had won big.”
Steve went back inside and showed the scratchcard to staff, who said he needed to contact The National Lottery.
“I had been a bit longer than I thought so I went into the kebab shop, got my doner, and drove home,” he added.
“I can’t remember much of the journey, as I was a bit emotional. I am not embarrassed to say I shed a tear.
“I sat in the kitchen and tried to eat my kebab, but I couldn’t. In the end I just put it in the bin.
“I told my landlady that I needed to make an important call and asked if I could use her landline, and I rang the National Lottery people.”
After discovering he was a millionaire, shell-shocked Steve called his mum and Heidi to reveal his amazing news.
“No-one believed me, I had to take a photo and send a picture,” he said.
“I couldn’t really believe it. I just sat there looking at it, holding it tightly.
“And that night I put the scratchcard in an envelope and put it under my pillow for safe keeping.”
Steve moved from Leicester to Devon for a more relaxed way of life and to be closer to his parents who live in the area.
He re-trained as a bus driver, passed his test last year and now drives for Go Cornwall.
Steve went straight into work the day after his jackpot for his normal shift travelling between Launceston and Plymouth.
“As the people hopped on, I was chuckling to myself,” said the keen fisherman and metal detectorist.
“There I was a bus driver, with a load of passengers on board, and nobody knows I’m a millionaire.
“I’ve never had much, ever. I’ve always rented, just throwing my money away on a roof over my head.
“The win will change everything. We’ll have a home for the first time ever, with no mortgage and still have enough for retirement.
“I will continue working, so will Heidi but we plan to have more holidays.
“We are now both debt free which is unbelievable and it’s a wonderful nest egg for our retirement. Life is pretty good.”
