An Oxfordshire gardening enthusiast has won an "unbelievable" £1m thanks to his late father’s lucky lottery numbers.
Sean Hayes from Witney lost his dad James in 2010, and amongst the belongings he left behind was a copy of his lottery numbers which he played on Lotto each week.
Since his father's death, the 56-year-old continued playing those same numbers, not out of habit, but out of love and his quiet way of keeping a piece of his dad close. And now, those very numbers have changed his life.
"My dad had a little booklet which he wrote his Lotto numbers in," said Mr Hayes.
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"After he passed away, I would put the numbers on each week, but then I lost the booklet.
"I only found it again recently, around Christmas time, and I decided to start playing the numbers again, and that’s how I won.
"To think that my dad chose these numbers all those years ago, before he died, is just unbelievable, and it’s a really nice connection to my dad’s memory."
The first thing Mr Hayes hopes to do with his winnings is to buy a home with a garden, a space where he and his wife can build new memories and he can indulge his love of gardening.
He’s also looking forward to upgrading his car and taking his wife on some long‑awaited, wonderful trips together.
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Mr Hayes added: "I’m so grateful to my dad to have chosen these numbers, the money is going to make a real difference to our lives.
"Being able to buy our own house after years of renting is going to be so great, and we would love somewhere with a garden.
"I have an allotment and enjoy spending time there, but it would be ideal to have some green space at home too."
Mr Hayes first discovered he had won the huge prize whilst he was out in the pub and then spent a few frantic minutes trying to get phone reception to confirm the win.
He said: "I was in the pub on a date night with my wife Sara, when I decided to go on The National Lottery app to put a ticket on.
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"It was at that point I saw I had won a prize on the Lotto and it was £1m. I was in total shock.
“I had to call The National Lottery to confirm that I had won, but the phone signal was terrible as the pub is an old Cotswold building, so I was moving about desperately trying to get a signal so they could hear me.
"When I eventually managed to get reception and speak to someone, and they confirmed I had won £1m, it was absolutely unbelievable, and a moment I will never forget!
"We had a few extra drinks to celebrate that night."
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Mr Hayes, who works for a bespoke electronic firm, says he plans to continue working, as well as buying a new house and a new car, and will also enjoy some special trips with his wife.
"I won’t be giving up work just yet, but I am planning on upgrading my car to something larger and more comfortable," he said.
"Sara and I enjoy travelling around the UK, and we go on a date night once a week, so we’ll plan some trips and some extra special date nights."
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