Elaine Thompson, 68, looks back on the incredible £2.7 million National Lottery win almost 30 years ago that transformed her life...

“I was hooked on the National Lottery as soon as it launched in November 1994. Like lots of people, I’d always buy the same three lines, with numbers chosen from birthdays and anniversaries. My husband Derek, 66, and I are originally from Newcastle, but in 1995 we were living in Basingstoke. He was an accountant at Motorola and I had a job at a garage doing payroll. On 9 December – our 17th wedding anniversary – Newcastle United were playing Chelsea and he went to London to meet pals and watch the game. “Don’t forget to buy a ticket!” he said before he left. Newcastle lost to Chelsea that day – but we would turn out to be the big winners.

Derek and Elaine always used to buy the same three lines (

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Watching Blind Date with our kids Karen, now 39, and Gary, 34, I saw the numbers flash up on the screen. “Oh, I think we’ve won a tenner,” I said. Karen ran to get the ticket and the very first line I checked matched what had flashed up on the TV – 5, 11, 12, 26, 29, 33. It was a shock.

But, incredible as it sounds, the week before I’d told someone I was going to win £2.7 million on the lottery one day and that’s exactly what happened. It felt like it was meant to be – only I didn’t expect it to happen so soon.

Passion projects

Gary and Karen gathered up the neighbours and I eventually got through to a lovely woman at the National Lottery who calmed me down. Then we had a lovely party, with Derek falling through the door at 2am. He thought I was pulling his leg but when he double-checked the numbers, he realised it was true. We went to bed but our minds were racing so much, we were up again at 4am.

There was little choice but to go public, as someone tipped off the papers. We travelled to London to collect our cheque and do some press interviews. A representative from Drummonds Bank had £20,000 in cash in a briefcase, but I told him, “I’m not walking around London with that.” Instead, we went to Harrods and gave the kids £20 each! We went on The Big Breakfast too and Derek was so starstruck by Gaby Roslin he couldn’t speak.

Elaine says they had "little choice" but to go public with their win (

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Once the initial excitement died down, we took a step back. There were no extravagant shopping sprees. Instead, we used the money to buy a rundown B&B in Lyme Regis, Dorset, which we poured our hearts into, turning it into five-star holiday cottages. We donated free holidays to families affected by cancer, which brought us so much joy.

After six wonderful years, we decided to sell as my brother Ian had died and the place reminded me of him. A year later, we bought a restaurant, By The Bay, which we ran for six years. Again, we loved providing opportunities for young people to gain work experience. Throughout it all, we’ve remained grounded and focused on giving back.

Eventually, we decided it was time to go home to the north-east. But I continued to work, taking a job stacking shelves at Marks & Spencer. We’ve managed our money well, so I didn’t need the cash, but I loved the social aspect and routine. I know it’s the last thing people expect a lottery winner to be doing – especially as I had to get up at 2am. Now I’m retired, but I’m painting the house from top to bottom. Derek is still working, but we’ll travel across Europe when he’s retired. Our great passion has been horse racing, although we’ve also enjoyed a few trips to Las Vegas.

Elaine got a job at Marks & Spencer as she liked the routine and social aspect that came with it (

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Enriching lives

We owned horses for a while, although that turned out to be an expensive hobby. Now we’ve visited every racecourse in Britain, all 59 of them, and love the thrill of a day at the races. Once, we had a box next to the late Queen, but usually I like to be among the bookies down on the course.

Throughout it all, we have tried to help others. I’ve particularly enjoyed the volunteer work I’ve done with the National Lottery, lending a hand with various charities. Looking back, the win changed our lives for the better in so many ways. It’s provided security and opportunities we never would have had otherwise and my children became the first members of our family to go to university. I feel incredibly grateful for that every single day.”

For more about the lottery, see national-lottery.co.uk