Wigan neighbours celebrate £630k lottery win

Orrell postcode WN5 0DN was announced as a winner with the People’s Postcode Lottery.

It meant 17 neighbours won £30,000 each, with two winners on Silverdale Road both getting £60,000 after playing with two tickets.

It was the largest number of people in a single postcode to win the £30,000 Street Prize since the lottery began in 2005.

One family described the win as the “best feeling in the world” with Ian Leather, 67, Susan Leather, 68, and their daughter Sarah Leather, 42, collecting £30,000 each.

Susan said: “Sarah lives with us along with her two teenage children. So, we’re bringing up two families in the one house and with the electric and gas prices rising, this is a huge security blanket.”

She added: “We have our 50th anniversary next year along with my 70th birthday. There’s plenty to celebrate and now we can make it extra special.”

Sarah, who works as a cleaner, went to work after finding out about the win.

She said: “I’ll not be able to concentrate at work, this really is completely shocking.”

Neighbour Scott Gregory, a 36-year-old social worker, recently signed up for the lottery after his manager won a share of a £7.9m prize less than two months ago.

He said: “I’m overwhelmed. It’s not sunk in yet. My boss happened to win around £30,000 on the Postcode Lottery in Lowton, so I thought I’d give it a go.”

Scott and wife Rachel plan to use the cash to treat their two children.

He said: “We can spoil them. I want to take the girls away on holiday but firstly I’m just going to take them to the Trafford Centre and let them pick whatever they want.”

Cheryl Valentine, 42, plans to buy a campervan after finding out she had won £60,000 on the day she was due to go on holiday.

She said: “My mum lives in France and flew over so we could go to Tenerife together, but our holiday got cancelled for the third time due to Covid. We thought this is just not meant to be.

“We were meant to be lying on a beach when my luck turned and I got a call saying I’d won, and the Postcode Lottery would be coming to our street.”

Mark Heap, 54, is planning a once-in-a-lifetime trip with his wife Julie after winning £30,000.

Julie said: “A world cruise is definitely on our list and when we retire that will be one of our plans. We are looking for early retirement, so this will help us along.

“We’ll definitely be going to see Minnie and Mickey in Disneyland again too. I’m sure a few of our grandkids will have a say in it.”

Joanne Wolf, 54, won £60,000 and celebrated with her fiancé Dean.

She said: “We can do lots of things now. We’ve been engaged for just over four years, so maybe we can get married now!”

Another £30k winner was teaching assistant Wendy Markland, 48, who said: “We’ve already organised a celebration party.”