Man scoops £300,000 on scratchcard
A factory worker who popped into a shop to buy a fizzy drink and a National Lottery Scratchcard on Sunday afternoon ended the day popping champagne corks after winning £300,000.
Shaun Mulligan bought the £3 ticket at Vineyard Stores in Newport last weekend.
The 25-year-old kept the scratchcard in his pocket until he got home and stared at it in disbelief after scratching off the jackpot-winning combination.
Even though Shaun couldn't call the National Lottery to claim the bumper prize until Monday, he still managed to celebrate on Sunday night with a fizzy drink – but this time it was a big bottle of bubbly.
Shaun, who lives with his parents, is now planning a dream holiday with his 25-year-old partner Joe Holmes and the pair want to buy their first home together.
They were presented with their winnings at Weston Park yesterday.
Shaun, who works at automatic door manufacturers Horton Automatics in Telford, said: "I just can't believe my luck and I'm still finding it hard to take in.
"This is only the fourth scratchcard I have bought. I did win £6.90 on the EuroMillions draw a couple of days before but never dreamed I would win this big.
"I had to get a few people to check the card and make sure that I had revealed all the numbers in the corners of all the Bingo games to win the jackpot.
"Joe and I have always wanted to go to Africa or America and we were looking to buy a house together anyway so this win has come at the perfect time." The couple have been together for two years and met through friends. Shaun said he could rely on Joe, an accountant in Shawbury, for some financial advice as they plan how to spend the winnings.
"I'm sure I'll be getting a new car as well," said Shaun. "I only passed my test in December and have a Renault Clio so I think I'll get something a bit bigger now."
The enormous jackpot comes only a few weeks after another Lottery player from Telford also struck it big.
Robert Pardoe, who works as a butcher at Morrisons in Wellington, won £100,000 last month. The 57-year-old only bought the £2 ticket to get change out of a £10 note for his 18-year-old daughter Laura.
The lifelong Wolves fan received his winnings from Wolves goalscoring legend Steve Bull at Molineux.
Mr Pardoe, a father of three, has been a butcher for more than 40 years.
Mr Pardoe has kept the winning scratchcard in his wallet and has said he wants to treat his family with his winnings.
