A widowed grandmother has won a £4,500,000 dream home on the Cornish coast after entering a prize draw for just £25.
June Smith, 74, is celebrating being selected in the biggest ever house prize draw to be given away in the UK. The luxury six-bedroom, three storey "mansion" overlooks the picturesque Fowey Estuary in Cornwall, some change from the two-bedroom property in Essex June has lived in for the past 17 years.
The retired bookkeeper has also won £100,000 in cash, as part of the latest Omaze Million Pound House Draw, to help her settle in.
Speaking today, June said: "People like me don't win things like this.
"I was just settling in for a standard Friday night in front of the telly - then the next thing I knew I'd won a mansion, I couldn't believe it. The first thing I did was call my children, the second was to open a bottle of red."
June lost her husband Ron, aged 74, last year to a heart attack.
Ron, June's husband of 43 years, would've "absolutely loved the design of this house" and will be "looking down with an approving smile," June said.
The property comes mortgage free, with all stamp duty and legal fees covered.
Gran-of-six June continued: "We used to come for family holidays in Cornwall and stay in a caravan, but now we own a £4.5m mansion - it's just unbelievable.
"The house is truly stunning and the views are simply breathtaking, even the rain couldn't dampen our spirits when we first came here, it was love at first sight.
"It has its own yoga studio, so maybe I'll take that up, although my son says it would make a great bar too.
"I've got six beautiful grandchildren and have now got plenty of room for all of them to come and stay - we're going to have the best summer holiday ever.
"Having spent some time at the house, I'm definitely going to keep it for a while, whatever I decide to do long term it's a life changing win for our family."
Ron was an architectural designer all his life and June notes "he wanted us to be financially secure as a family".
And June is free to either live in the house, rent it out or sell it. If she decides to rent it out, local estate agents estimate that the property could achieve £5,000 - £7,000 per month from long-term rentals - and up to £14,000 a week from peak season holiday rentals.
Situated in one of the most desirable waterfront locations in the country - the house provides spectacular views along the estuary as well as the architecture of nearby Fowey and the surrounding Cornish countryside.
The property, which comes with furnishings included, is an outstanding example of modern architecture, designed by the highly acclaimed West Country architects Harrison Sutton, the incorporation of glass ensures the south west facing estuary views are a key feature throughout the house.
The house is finished to an exceptional standard with a layout that has been meticulously designed to provide elegant, spacious areas that seamlessly flow from room to room.
The bright and airy entrance hall welcomes you into the property, with an adjacent home office that provides panoramic estuary views thanks to the floor to ceiling windows on two sides of the room. June will find it hard not to be inspired in this uniquely special workplace.
The main sitting room forms the heart of the home and gives incredible views across the estuary through floor to ceiling glass doors that lead onto one of the terraces.
The serene space has superb proportions and a double-sided log fire, with a cinema and snug room complete with 85in TV on the other side, that also leads out to a west facing patio.
A state-of-the-art kitchen and breakfast room features a central island and glazed sliding doors on two sides that lead out onto a cantilevered balcony. In addition to the Smallbone units and Sub-Zero appliances, there are two dishwashers, a hot water tap and a Wolf cooker with a Teppanyaki cooker and griddle.
A secondary kitchen pantry sits on the other side of the hallway, next to a stylish dining room with ample space for entertaining family and friends.
A striking cantilevered staircase leads up to the first floor, where a large open landing leads to the main bedroom, which has glazed walls on two sides and some of the finest estuary views the property has to offer. In addition to a dressing area, there is a luxury en-suite bathroom with a walk in shower.
A ground floor bedroom with en-suite bathroom is accessed from the sitting room with exceptional estuary views. The bedroom also has access to the balcony in front of the sitting room. A secondary staircase leads from the sitting room to a guest bedroom with en-suite bathroom and access to a shared balcony.
"There are two further bedrooms with en-suite facilities on the first floor, all rooms are finished to an impeccable standard.
A yoga studio sits at one end of the garden with yet more breathtaking estuary views thanks to the curved floor to ceiling window. Internally, the finish is to the same exacting standards and has its own bathroom. It also has its own private terrace facing the estuary.
There are further mature gardens - and at the far end there is a seating area that is perfect for enjoying the inspiring views down the estuary.
Fowey is just 200 yards away via ferry or a short drive into a town centre that offers an excellent selection of amenities with a number of shops, banks, boutiques, bars, delicatessens and restaurants.
The house is close to an array of Cornwall's fine sandy beaches.
The surrounding area is ideal for a host of outdoor activities including - sailing, surfing, canoeing, water skiing, windsurfing, gig rowing, cycling and scenic coastal walks.
As well as making June a multi-millionaire - the Cornwall II House Draw also raised £2,100,000 for Marie Curie, an end-of-life charity that fights to make sure everyone gets to lead the best life they can, right to the end.
The money raised will help Marie Curie to provide care and support to more people affected by terminal illness. It will go towards funding frontline nursing and hospice care, a free support line and a wealth of information on all aspects of dying, death and bereavement.
June added: "I'm so happy Marie Curie received such a huge amount from the draw, they are an incredible charity and I know first-hand how important the work they do is."
Matthew Reed, Chief Executive at Marie Curie, said: "Congratulations to June and her family on winning this beautiful home.
"We want to express our enormous gratitude to all members of the Omaze community whose individual contributions will collectively make a tangible improvement to the lives of people affected by terminal illness in the UK.
"The money raised could fund around 100 Marie Curie Nurses and Healthcare Assistants to support people with terminal illness. It would mean nearly 2,000 families receive expert care and emotional support when they need it most.
"Every five minutes, someone in the UK dies without the care and support they need. This is heartbreaking not only for each person it happens to, but also for the people who love them. That's why this campaign has been so impactful.
"This partnership with Omaze will help Marie Curie be there for more people. Our nurses will be able to support more families to make the most of the precious time they have together."
Sheryll Murray, local MP for South East Cornwall, said: "I am delighted to see the incredible success of the Omaze prize draw for a house in my constituency, which has raised an astonishing £2.1 million for Marie Curie.
"This is an outstanding achievement and a testament to the generosity of people across the country who supported such a worthy cause. I would like to extend my thanks to Omaze and everyone who took part in this initiative.
"The funds raised will make a real difference to the lives of those living with a terminal illness and their families, providing vital support and care when they need it most"
James Oakes, Chief International Officer at Omaze, said: "We're thrilled that June has won her dream home - and was able to contribute towards the fantastic £2,100,000 raised for Marie Curie in the process.
"Omaze is a win-win for both charities and entrants. By offering incredible prizes, like this stunning house in Cornwall, we give people the chance to win the house of their dreams, while also introducing charities to audiences they wouldn't usually be able to reach.
"This method of fundraising is helping to make a big difference. We've already raised £13,250,000 for good causes across the UK."
- Draw entries for the Omaze Million Pound House Draw, Cotswolds are available now at www.omaze.co.uk. The draw closes on Sunday 25th June 2023 for online entries and Tuesday 27th June 2023 for postal entries.
