Oxfordshire Couple Win Lotto After ‘Catalogue of Difficulties’
Last Updated: Wednesday 23rd September 2020, 13:58
David and Shelley Adams from Chipping Norton have landed a £1 million Lotto win a day after he was made redundant, marking a change in fortunes following a difficult time for the family. They are now excited about shopping for a new car and going on holiday to Canada.
The husband and wife matched five of the six main numbers in the Lotto draw on Saturday 1st August. Luckily, their sixth number also appeared as the Bonus Ball, giving them a seven-figure payout.
They quickly came forward to claim their money, picking up their cheque just a few days later and opting to go public. David revealed that he had lost his job as a wood machinist just before the big win - the latest challenging moment in a long list over the past 12 months.
He said: “Many people would think the redundancy was the worst news but in fact it's just the final straw in a catalogue of difficulties we have experienced. Just last year Shelley was diagnosed with MS and had to give up the job she loved as a community carer, putting a strain on our finances and heightening her clinical anxiety.”
David’s sister-in-law died from a heart attack in April and his brother passed away with coronavirus the following month. They said they had always stuck together through the tough times, whatever life threw at them, and ‘never in their wildest dreams’ did they think that the next significant event would be a big lottery win.
“We’ve always worked hard and know the value of money but this is a number far beyond anything we could ever comprehend,” said David.
First Flight will be First Class
The couple only buy tickets from time to time, using the same two lines of numbers that are important to them. They played online for this draw and it was David who discovered they had won when he checked his phone at about 1.30 in the morning.
Shelley recalled: “David came into our bedroom saying ‘are you awake?’, to which I pretty grumpily replied ‘well I am now’! But as he switched on the light I could see he was shaking so my grumpiness turned to worry as I asked him what was up, whereupon he told me we’d won the lottery. I was furious, I thought he meant a tenner!”
Looking to the future, David said: “We are not going to rush any of our decisions and will take things slowly but there are a few plans for our winnings. Firstly a new car is on the cards, a Nissan Qashqai is top of the list, although as I currently drive a Ford Mondeo which has always seen me right, I might take a little browse around the Ford dealership too.”
They will also travel to Canada once it is safe to travel, which will be the first time Shelley has ever gone overseas in her life. She said: “We have friends and family in Canada who we thought we would only ever see online, certainly never in person. I’ve never even been on a plane or left the country before, it’s crazy to think the first time I do it will be First Class all the way!”
The Lotto jackpot rolled over when the Adams’ won their £1 million award and has continued to climb for the past couple of draws, leaving the top prize at £8.5 million ahead of Wednesday night’s draw.