A MUM who scooped £500,000 playing the lottery says she’s now banned her kids from eating McDonald’s.
Centre technician Mandy won big on the People’s Postcode Lottery said her household can now turn to fancier foods.
She shared £1 million with two other neighbours in Liverpool as part of the weekly Millionaire Street prize.
At first she exclaimed, “I’ve just won a quarter-of-a-million pounds on the Postcode Lottery!” before presenter Judie McCourt revealed that she’d actually won double that amount as she played with two tickets.
Mandy now plans to celebrate with her three children.
She said: “We’ll definitely go out for a meal somewhere and it won’t be McDonald’s, which is their favourite.”
She added that going on holiday with her children would be a top priority.
Mandy, who has been working in the education department at Southport Hospital for the past three years, also said a house move might be on the cards or home renovations as she likes living on her street.
She said: “It’s lovely. Everyone knows each other. We’re always out helping each other as needs be. We all get on well. It’s quite a quiet little road.”
She added: “I’m sure we’ll all celebrate tonight with a drink.”
Mandy revealed that she first signed up to play as she liked the charity aspect of People’s Postcode Lottery.
She said: “I thought it was quite a good [lottery] because it was giving back to charities and communities.”
Mandy shared the win with two neighbouring households, including couple Denise and Jo, who scooped £250,000.
As they were presented with a cheque, Jo turned to partner Denise and said: “I had a dream you won three hundred grand, didn’t I?”
Support worker Denise said: “I’m absolutely over the moon. I’m in shock.
“When the envelope was getting revealed, I thought, two thousand, three thousand maybe, which, you know, I was going to book a holiday for me and my daughter and my partner.
“When I saw that, it’s like, yeah, it’s life-changing isn’t it?”
Denise originally signed up to play thanks to her mum, who was on hand to lend her support with other members of the family.
She said: “It was my mum who told me to sign up. She only lives round the corner, and she’s been doing it for, I think, about five years now. We had a little conversation and she said, ‘You should do it,’ and I said, “Yeah,” and so I’ve just done it ever since.”
Kind-hearted Denise, who has been supporting adults with learning disabilities for the past 20 years, now plans to spoil her family on a special holiday.
She said: “You know when you scroll through things, and you look at these gorgeous villas and things like that? Everyone’s on a budget. Well, no, I’m not on a budget now. It’s all on me.”
Denise also wants to treat her daughter, Jessica, ahead of her school prom. She said: “We’ll have a shopping spree day.”
The grateful mum, who is currently on a week’s annual leave, added, “I’ve got a lot of thinking and planning to do.”
Window cleaner Jo couldn’t believe her dream had come true and was able to take the rest of the day off work.
She said: “I’ve just rung him (my boss) and said I can’t go back, not today.”
The couple have been together for six months but have known each other for around a year.
Jo said: “She’s my person,” then joked, “before the money!”
