PICTURES: Tain neighbours scoop share of £1 million with Postcode Lottery windfall
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NINE neighbours in a Highland community have scooped a share of a £1 million lottery win.
As well as living in the same part of the county, the winners all share two other things in common– they all play the Postcode Lottery's Millionaire Street and are now tens of thousands of pounds better off.
The postcode in question was IV19 1LZ in the Tain areas.
They have been telling their stories after being told the good news.
A builder is hoping for a new digger after his wife won a share of the £1 million lottery pot - but only after he finishes her dream kitchen.
Stunned Angela Main (55) is eager for husband Gordon (58) to complete her new kitchen after winning £166,666 – but the digger daft dad-of-two would like to add to his fleet.
The amazed pair, who have lived at the address for over 30 years, couldn’t believe their luck when the People’s Postcode Lottery turned up at their front door in Tain.
Angela said: “It’s crazy! I didn’t think for one second I’d win that much.
“I’ll be able to get the kitchen that I want now.”
Gordon added: “It’s just incredible – it’s a lifetime’s worth of money.”
But Gordon, who owns a small building company, couldn’t resist floating the idea of a new dream machine.
He joked: “It’ll be a digger for me, not a kitchen.
“I’ll always want more diggers and there’s always another type of digger that I’d like to buy.
“I have to admit Angela’s kitchen has been a long time coming so that’ll come first. The garden is a bit of a bùrach at the moment because it’s sitting waiting to be finished.”
But firstly, the couple plan to help their two children – Lynsey ( 23) a physiotherapist, and her brother Alistair (19) an apprentice brick layer – to purchase their first homes.
Gordon said: “We’d love to help get the kids on the property ladder.
“Lynsey lives in Glasgow and it’s so expensive, a lot pricier than around here and at Alistair’s age it’s nigh on impossible to buy.”
Angela added: “He wants to build his own house at some point but he’s still young. When we told him I’d won he said, ‘can I get a Volkswagen Golf R mum?’”
And the pair want to splash out on a holiday to New York. Angela said: “We’ve never been, and we’ve talked about it a few times – so that’ll be the first holiday at least.”
Gordon added: “I keep thinking I’m dreaming or that there’s a wee pixie on my shoulder.”
The Mains were among nine people to share the lottery’s weekly Millionaire Street prize after their postcode was announced as the winner in the Scottish Highlands.
Gobsmacked housekeeper Beata Pett (39) is planning on setting up her very own bed and breakfast after raking in £83,333.
The mum-of-two said: “Oh my sweet Jesus Lord! It’s mind-blowing and a life-changing amount of money.
“I’ve always dreamt about owning a little bed and breakfast somewhere on my doorstep and hopefully now that will happen.
“I pictured an idyllic cosy house with a log-burning fireplace. It would be something of my own that I could run and keep us going.”
The win has come just a month before Beata celebrates her 40th birthday. She said the celebrations will go up a notch thanks to her cash windfall, and added: “I’d love to buy a really nice dress, but I think we’ll also go to Florida – hell yeah!”
The couple, who have been together for 13 years, are looking forward to surprising their two kids - Islay (11) and Harry (7) – with the holiday of a lifetime.
Beata said: “They’ll go bonkers. We’ll probably make a crazy reveal and tell them they are going to Florida.”
The mum-of-two was at work when the lottery came knocking before husband Oliver (46) phoned her to come home.
Oliver said: “When I told her someone has just turned up at the door and said she’d won, I honestly thought it would be a couple hundred pound.
“She’s occasionally even said to me ‘I’ve been playing the Postcode Lottery for years and I never win anything’ and now she really has.”
Oliver, who worked as a flooring contractor before changing profession, said: “I quit my job as a tradesman because my body started to give up and she’s been working her guts out the last two years.
“It’s been really hard over the last few years, and she’s had to prop me up a few times and I love her for that – she’s been amazing.”
The couple, who enjoy classical music, are hoping to squeeze in a trip to Vienna to watch world-renowned violinist and conductor Andre Rieu in concert.
Beata said: “We are so going to see him! We watched him and it was just amazing - that would be the icing on the cake.”
Across the road, semi-retired lumberjack James Tewnion (68), bagged £166,666 with two winning tickets.
Grandad-of-four James said: “It’s a shock to the system. It’s more money than we’ve ever had.”
James’ wife Kate added: “It’ll change our lives considerably and more importantly it’ll help our kids and grandkids. It’ll stretch far and wide.”
Project manager Andrew Black (56) also plays in the winning postcode and netted the same dazzling cash sum.
The Tain dad thought it was a scam until he saw people in red coming along the road. He said: “I was a little bit apprehensive at first, but I was left speechless when I found out it was real.”
Andrew added: “I went on a boy’s holiday at the beginning of this year and it’s about time I spoiled the family and took them away.
“I’ve always wanted to go to Bora Bora. It’s always been on the bucket list, but it’s always been unaffordable and there’s a potential for that turn into a reality now.”
A few neighbours mistook the lottery’s visit for the local postman before realising their postcode had won big.
Gordon said: “I thought it was the postie when I went to the door, but it was someone different in red.”
Angela congratulated her neighbours and added: “It’s great that so many have won in our postcode – we can have a wee Postcode Lottery party.”
The other five winners chose to remain anonymous.
Postcode Lottery ambassador Danyl Johnson said: “I had a wonderful time in sunny Tain surprising many of our shocked winners.
“I think the winning neighbours will be having a pretty epic BBQ to celebrate this weekend."
He added: “I love visiting winners in Scotland, especially the Scottish Highlands. It’s a beautiful part of the world.”
