Guard Secures His Own Fortune
Last Updated: Thursday 22nd January 2015, 09:27
As a security guard working twelve hour shifts at an Edinburgh office building, James McIntosh is used to protecting the assets of other people. But thanks to matching five numbers and the bonus ball in the Lotto draw held on July 1st, he now has to guard his own fortune worth £105,963.
James, who is from Dalkeith, is 58 years old and married to Anne. The couple have three adult children, James, David and Audrey, and six grandchildren between the ages of nine months and nine years. It's no surprise then, that James - or "Tosh", as he is known to his friends - is very much a family man at heart.
James didn't know that his Lucky Dip ticket had won the six-figure share of the prize (fifteen players matched five numbers and the bonus ball in the July 1st draw) until Sunday. James had gone for a walk in the park, leaving Anne and Audrey to check his numbers against the results published in their Sunday newspaper. It goes without saying that when they finally discovered the win, they were eager to tell him about it!
James describes the moment with understandable enthusiasm:
"I was out walking in the park on Sunday morning," he said, "when I saw these two women running towards me, jumping up and down. Then I realised it was Anne and Audrey. I thought they'd gone mad but they were shouting 'you've won the lottery!' We've checked and double-checked but still can't really believe it, even though the cheque is in the bank now."
Although he admits that the long twelve hour shifts can be tiring, James loves his job as a security guard so much that he has no intention of leaving it. However, he is very pleased that his wife Anne will now be able to leave her job - as a cleaner for a local school - in order to spend more time with their family.
As for the £105,963, James has a number of plans. He intends to exercise his right to buy his council house, settle a loan on a new Vauxhall Astra, be generous with his children and arrange a family trip to the Sunshine State of Florida.