A 70-year-old Scots granny scooped £90,000 on the postcode lottery while waiting at a bus stop on her way home from a holiday in Scotland. Cathy Peters, originally from the Highlands, won the life-changing sum after the draw on Saturday, October 3, sharing the £1m prize with ten neighbours in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire.
Surprise win at Luton Airport
Cathy had just flown back from Inverness Airport and was waiting at the bus station at Luton Airport to return to Leicester when she received the news. The widow, a mum-of-three, said: “I got the call to say I’d won when I was on the way home from holiday in Scotland. I’d just flown back from Inverness Airport and was sitting at the bus station at Luton Airport to go back to Leicester. I couldn’t believe it. I thought they were having me on.”
She added: “I’ve got sisters, brother, cousins. Everyone is up there. I can’t wait to tell them up in Scotland.”
Plans for a new car and family holiday
To celebrate, Cathy planned to open a bottle of Boizel champagne she has kept since her wedding 46 years ago. She is already aiming to upgrade her 16-year-old Audi and take her family on holiday. The retired cleaner, who has seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, said: “Maybe a family holiday and a little new car for myself. I used to have an Audi 4x4 and now have a 10-plate Audi 4 but I’d like a Q3.”
She added: “I’m going to Nashville this time next year with my two sisters and daughter. I’ll be upgrading. I always wanted to do that.” Cathy, who has lived at her address for 50 years, said: “I’m absolutely delighted… over the moon. I never thought it would happen to me. I expected about £30,000 at the most and was hoping for that. But to get three times that!”
Neighbour wins after health ordeal
Further along the street, Dave Hazeldine, 65, collected his £90,909 cheque days after having double surgery, cheered on by his Scottish wife Jackie. The retired dad-of-three was rushed back into hospital in agonising pain for a gall bladder operation following spinal surgery.
Jackie, 54, formerly of Motherwell, Lanarkshire, said: “I could cry. We’ve had a horrendous couple of weeks. When Dave has fully recovered from his two operations, we’re going on holiday.” Dave said: “You deserve it looking after me. We both love Greece. We’ve also been talking about a new car for months.”
He added: “I had a back problem for years and waited almost two years to get it sorted out. I had spinal surgery and thought that was great. A few days later I was rushed back in with severe pain and had my gall bladder out. That’s where I am at the moment. But we’re not going to rush into any decisions about what we’re going to do.”
