An Essex mother has become an overnight multi-millionaire, winning a luxury Cotswold house worth more than £3 million and £100,000 cash from a charity prize draw.
Sarah Stocks, mother of two, won the Omaze Million Pound House Draw and now owns the countryside retreat, all mortgage and legal fees taken care of.
Currently living in a rental four-bedroom house in Essex with her children, partner Brett and his children, she was convinced it was a practical joke played on her when contacted about her prize win.
She said: "It was just another Friday when I got a call saying I'd won an Omaze prize.
"My first reaction was that my friends were playing an elaborate practical joke on me.
"I didn’t think for one second I’d actually won anything, but the next thing I knew the Omaze team were on my front lawn telling me I’d won a £3 million house in the Cotswolds, it was crazy.
“I still couldn’t believe it even when I got to the house - I kept expecting one of my friends to jump out a wardrobe and shout gotcha."
She can choose to either live in the house, rent it out for a supplementary income or sell it.
The house has been renovated to combine traditional features with a contemporary design and style.
If Ms Stocks rents the property, local estate agents project her property could achieve a long-term rental value of between £5,000 to £7,000 each month.
She added: "We’re currently renting and our plan was to save as much as possible to one day get a little bungalow when the kids have left home - as buying a four-bedroom house for us all now just isn’t possible - I can’t believe we now own a five-bedroom house that you could fit five bungalows in.
“Whatever we decide to do with the house long-term, this win is truly transformational for my family’s future - it's changed our lives forever.”
James Oakes, chief international officer at Omaze, said: "Everyone at Omaze is delighted that Sarah and her family have won this beautiful house in the Cotswolds, whilst also contributing to the incredible first instalment of £3 million towards our £10 million pledge to help build the new Children’s Cancer Centre at Great Ormond Street Hospital."
The Omaze Million Pound House Draw, Cotswolds has also raised £3 million for GOSH Charity, the first contribution towards Omaze’s £10 million pledge over the next five years to help build the Children’s Cancer Centre at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH).
Liz Tait, director of fundraising at GOSH Charity, said: "“This donation will be invaluable in helping us to build a world-leading new Children’s Cancer Centre at Great Ormond Street Hospital, helping to save more children’s lives and beat childhood cancer once and for all."
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