Derbyshire Lotto Success
Last Updated: Thursday 22nd November 2018, 14:53
A National Lottery player from Dronfield who quit his job a few weeks ago to build up his own minibus company has won £213,782. Martin Simpson, who is 59, won the Lotto prize just two weeks after starting Simpsons Travel by matching five main numbers and the bonus ball in the draw held on Saturday 18 April, 2009.
Martin was checking flight arrivals times on Teletext for a pick-up he was scheduled to make from the airport when he decided to check his lottery results at the same time.
“I had a pick-up at East Midlands Airport in the early hours so was checking the flight arrivals,” he explained. “I noticed page 555 was to check the numbers so for the first time ever I checked them on TV. I initially thought I had won a tenner, then noticed five numbers and then the bonus ball. I just couldn’t believe it.”
The disbelief was catching. When Martin told his 21 year old son Liam about the win the two men were lost for words. Martin left his son to double check the results whilst he took his minibus to the airport. When he returned, Liam was able to confirm that his dad really had scooped a major Lotto prize. All they had to do now was call the lottery organisers and make their claim.
“The office didn’t open until 9am so I popped into the Gosforth Valley Co-op to get my ticket checked,” Martin said. “I didn’t want to call the National Lottery without being sure. They confirmed the amount and then I just waited until 9am and the people at the Lottery confirmed.”
Martin’s win came after he deviated from his usual lottery routine by buying his tickets a garage instead of his usual retailer. Clearly, the change of routine did his luck the world of good, and the he has already bought a car for his son Liam and will be doing the same for his daughter Kerry. After that, Martin is looking forward to splashing out on a family holiday.