Mr Mason, a businessman who runs Darwen-based company First Choice Fitted Bedrooms, was delighted when he received the news of the couple’s victory, but was left in the dark regarding the prize total after speaking to lottery officials: "I had it in my mind for two weeks that it was £1,000," he told The Bolton News. "We never usually win anything. My life is going to be so much easier from now on. I took the dog for a walk and it felt like I had retired and the money pressures had disappeared."
The couple, who reportedly cancelled a bank holiday camping trip in Cumbria in order to attend a special presentation ceremony at Witton Park in Blackburn, already have plans for their new riches. As well as paying off the mortgage on their family home and helping their two sons gain first-rate educations, the couple plan to invest in a new set of wheels: “I can't believe that we'll finally be able to buy a motorhome. Our dream is to travel around Europe with the kids,” said Stephen to Postcode Lottery officials.
Having swapped their lives in Bolton for better times in Blackburn 14 years ago, Mr Mason still harbours hopes of returning to his hometown some day: "I could keep doing the Postcode Lottery and then I might win again with a Bolton postcode." he joked. This sensational win came after the couple had set up a direct debit of just £10 a month with the Postcode Lottery.
There was also plenty of ecstasy for the pair’s neighbour, too. Sarah Slater joined the couple in celebrating the win, which saw 429 people from the Fernhurst area share an amazing £3 million. Just like Mr Mason, Miss Slater aims to use the £177,209 she won to pay off her mortgage, following up with a trip to Las Vegas to marry her partner, Phil Critchey: “We can go to the Little White Wedding Chapel, and Phil can have Elvis as his best man. I might even be dressed as Dolly Parton,” Miss Slater told officials. “Things like this just don’t happen in Blackburn. When BB2 4UN was announced we burst out crying. It just doesn’t feel real!”
Players from all across the UK will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of these lucky Lancastrians when the next Postcode Millions draw comes around. Sign up by the 19th of May to be in with a chance of winning a share of an incredible £3 million in June’s draw. Best of luck!
