A mother-of-two who had been working two jobs is planning to buy a home after years in social housing after scooping more than £800,000 on EuroMillions.
Sally-Ann Hanitzsch, of Cambourne, Cambridgeshire, worked shifts at a Morrisons supermarket while holding down a full-time role as an assets officer at Cambridge City Council.
The 55-year-old won £838,125.50 after matching all five main numbers plus one Lucky Star in the EuroMillions draw on December 2, but did not realise until more than a month later.
She said she had not checked her numbers earlier as she did not believe she would have won.
As well as buying a house, Ms Hanitzsch wants to help her son Jack, 27, and 22-year daughter Sophie to get on the property ladder, and to plan a dream holiday to Japan.
In the lead up to Christmas, Ms Hanitzsch had been working 20 hours per week as a customer services assistant at Morrisons in Cambourne on top of her regular Monday to Friday nine-to-five.
“I did have two jobs which was very tiring,” she said.
“The win means I’ll be able to have some of that time back and also help my family financially.
“With the extra time I now have, I can plan to do the things I’ve always wanted to do.”
She said that before every Morrisons shift she would buy snacks, and sometimes a lottery ticket.
Word had got round that someone had won big... and it was me— Sally-Ann Hanitzsch, lottery winner
“It was on a Saturday shift in January when I had a couple of minutes and thought I’d check my tickets,” said Ms Hanitzsch.
“I rarely check them because I never think I’ll win but asked a colleague to scan and she said you need to call the National Lottery now and sign the ticket.
“I thought she was joking but I called during my break before returning for the rest of my nine-hour shift, knowing I was £838,000 richer.
“Then all of a sudden lots of other staff members started to arrive at the kiosk asking about the win.
“Word had got round that someone had won big… and it was me.”
She said when she called her son he thought she had “lost the plot” and her daughter did not believe her either.
“When I got home I was so tired I just went to bed,” said Ms Hanitzsch.
“But we did celebrate as a family the following night with a takeaway curry.”
During the week of her win Ms Hanitzsch still worked her rota of five consecutive evening shifts before calling time on her role at Morrisons.
She said she will continue working at Cambridge City Council, adding: “I’m only 55, I love my job and my colleagues at the council.
“When I told my supervisor she cried. That’s how much of a team we are.”
Ms Hanitzsch added: “I’m now debt free, I’m buying a home having lived in social housing for years. I’m going to help Jack and Sophie to get onto the property ladder, buy a new car, probably a new Ford Fiesta as I don’t need anything bigger, go on a few holidays and plan the big trip to Japan.
“I just love Japan, the lights, the automated machines, the cartoons, sumo, the food.
“I’ve never been and it has always been a dream I thought I’d never be able to fulfil.
“The win means I can visit Tokyo, Hiroshima and do it all during the spring to see the beautiful blossoms.”
Ms Hanitzsch bought her winning EuroMillions Lucky Dip ticket at Morrisons in Broad Street, Great Cambourne, and the winning numbers for the draw were 12, 21, 35, 39 and 45 and Lucky Stars 6 and 11.
