A truck driver and a pensioner are among neighbours who have won a staggering £2.6million on the People’s Postcode Lottery.
The lucky group have scooped a whopping £379,418 each - thanks to playing with the full winning postcode – TS5 7AT.
A total of 572 Teesside neighbours shared a £10.2 million prize pot at a special event at Centre Square in Middlesbrough last Saturday.
The lottery winners with the postcode TS5 7 were all invited and had been told they’d won at least £4,000. 565 players each received a winning cheque from £12,050 up to £72,300, depending on many tickets they played with.
Trucker Mark Baker, who won £379,418, said: “You only dream of money like this, it doesn’t actually happen to working people but I guess it’s happened to us. It’s life changing.”
"I can’t describe how I was feeling when I found out our street had won, I just started laughing and my wife just started crying.”
Mark, who lives on Britain Street, is going to make a rather unusual first purchase with some of his winnings before booking a few sunny getaways.
Mark said: "I’ll buy some new Koi carp for my little pond in the back garden. The wife and I are going to upgrade to business class for our holiday to Cyprus. Our dream holiday is Hawaii, so that’s getting booked!”
Mark, who works for AV Dawson and is an ex-army sergeant, added: "We’re just working-class, I work really long hours, so this money will mean I can cut down my hours.
"And we’ll give a chunk of cash to our kids and grandkids.”
Neighbour Anne Goodman said she’s 'walking on air’ after winning over £379k.
Anne said: "I’m floating. I still haven’t come down from the ceiling.
"I’m walking about three feet off the floor. It’s just the most amazing buzz,” said Anne, who is now arranging to fly in style to Australia to visit her daughter.
The 62-year-old said: "We hadn’t seen our daughter and grandkids in over four years because of Covid and everything. With this cheque, it won’t be another four years, that’s for sure.
"We can fly business class which is something we’ve never been able to do. We’ll be able to look after our family, look after our grandchildren and look after ourselves.”
Pensioner Brian Wing, 68, was also left in disbelief after winning the top prize.
Brian said: "Bloody hell! This just doesn’t happen to us. I keep thinking is this an April Fools' joke?”
His wife Karen said the win has lifted their spirits after a heart-wrenching period.
"We’ve had such a tough few years because four family members currently have cancer," she said. “My sister and my brother both have terminal cancer and it’s just been so hard.
"So, to get something good for a change is just amazing. This is the stuff dreams are made of.”
The grandparents, who’ve been together for over 40 years, already have their dream purchase in mind.
Karen said: "We’ve always wanted to get a motorhome but couldn’t afford one. I gave up going abroad years ago because we’ve both got trouble with our legs, but we love to travel around Britain.
"It’s a bit difficult getting up and down the stairs in our house, so we might convert the house.”
Another winner, Elaine Thompson thanked a clairvoyant after scooping £12,050.
In a spooky prediction Elaine was told she was due to win money - just weeks after she'd cancelled her subscription to the lottery.
The superstitious 58-year-old quickly signed up again - and bagged a £12,050 prize.
Elaine, a former foster parent, said: "The fortune teller predicted I was going to come into a significant amount of money. I'd just cancelled the Postcode Lottery. A few days later I reinstated the ticket.
"I can't thank the clairvoyant enough, without her I would have missed out. I will be spoiling my family and taking my daughters to Fuerteventura.”
Emily Hutchinson, who claimed £24,100 said her dream wedding to fiancé Matty is now all but paid.
"It’s absolutely massive. It’ll pay for our wedding in France next year," said the 28-year-old.
The Middlesbrough mum is currently on maternity leave with her 11-month baby daughter and started playing with the Postcode Lottery in December.
Emily said: "I signed up because I didn’t want to go back to work after maternity leave. I signed up to hopefully win, and lo and behold it’s happened. I can’t believe it.”
People’s Postcode Lottery ambassador Judie McCourt said: "It’s been an absolutely incredible day here in Middlesbrough and it was amazing to see so many neighbours, friends and family celebrating their big cash wins together.
"I’m already excited for our next Postcode Millions at the end of the month, where we’ll be giving away £3.2 million to another postcode area!”
