A couple who bagged a huge lottery prize put their lucky win down to one crazy coincidence.
Pensioners Georgina and Jim Nugent first met in 1976 while both working at the Windermere Hotel in the Lake District. They went on to buy a house in Windermere Road in Hyde, Lancashire, a year after getting married. And now they've scooped a £181,818 prize after their street won £1m in the People’s Postcode Lottery. Georgina, 70, said: “Windermere is very lucky for us – obviously! It’s quite the coincidence. We met at the Windermere Hotel in Windermere, and we’ve lived on Windermere Road all our married life. I never thought for a minute something like this would happen to us.” Jim, 79, joked: “We can’t get away from the place.”
The Nugents, who have two daughters and four grandkids, shared the £1m jackpot with eight neighbours after SK14 4PU was revealed as the winner of Postcode Lottery’s recent Millionaire Street prize. Each ticket picked up £90,909, but Georgina and another neighbour doubled their prize thanks to playing with two briefs.
The couple have put their luck down to their connection to 'Windermere' (People’s Postcode Lottery)The couple, who have been married for 46 years, met when Georgina worked in the hotel restaurant and Jim was in the bar. And one year after tying the knot, they bought a house on a street named after Windermere – 100 miles away from the Lakes. Retired waitress Georgina said: “If you look at the map, you’ll find a lot of the streets here are named after places in the Lake District.” Now the massive windfall means the couple can buy a new front door and spoil their grandkids before jetting off to the sun.
Georgina, who also worked at Manchester City’s football academy, laughed: “The main thing we’ll do for ourselves is a new front door. We got a new back door last year. It’s the only decision we’ve made so far. My grandson is a big Man City fan and plays for Hyde FC’s under 9s. They’ve just won a summer tournament. He wants fancy football boots, so I’ll surprise him with a pair. We’ve now got enough money to buy new passports. If we want to go on holiday anywhere we need to renew our passports first.”
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Describing how she learned the news, Georgina added: “I got a call from the lottery the week before and they said I’d won, but said they’d visit us to tell us how much. I just sat down and cried when I came off the phone. “They said Jason Donovan might be coming to my door. I thought I better put on some mascara, but I knew I’d cry and it would be running down my face so I didn’t. I’m glad I didn’t – I haven’t stopped crying since I saw the amount.”
The massive windfall means the couple can buy a new front door and spoil their grandkids (People’s Postcode Lottery)Across the road, single mum Alana Nickson bagged £90,909 and wants to treat her foster dogs – and might set up a food van business. MS sufferer Alana, 45, who currently has three rescue dogs, said: “The dogs give me a sense of purpose. I’m out every day walking. I’ve got relapsing remitting MS. So, it’s keeping me healthy and the muscles working and so far, it’s working.
“I want to get my garden completely landscaped and kitted out for the foster dogs…potentially even a doggy day care. I want to take the dogs on holiday to maybe Wales or Scotland because I’ve never been but the list is endless. I’ve always wanted to buy a food van, a people facing and effective wee business. I could sell sandwiches, pies and bacon butties. I don’t have a name yet but maybe JD’s because Jason Donovan surprised me with the cheque.”
Alana also wants to help a neighbour who has built a communal garden – and go fence shopping with her pal next door. She said: “My neighbour at the end of the street has built a communal garden – paying for it off his own back. I’d like to throw him a bit of money just towards lighting or more plants going forwards. I can buy a fence for me and my neighbour, Carol. We’re really excited to go fence shopping. It was triple the amount I was expecting. It’s a complete life-changing experience. I’ve never thought in a million years that I would ever be in this position.”
Postcode Lottery ambassador Jason Donovan said: “It was another super day to be in red and knocking on more of our winners’ front doors. We really felt the love on Windermere Road. Every time players buy a ticket, charities win. It’s great that local charities - such as Mummy’s Star - are providing invaluable support to hundreds of women and their families.”
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