Telford key worker wins £650,000 farmhouse in £2-a-ticket raffle
A £650,000 house complete with a hot tub, gym and sit-on lawnmower has been won in a £2-a-ticket raffle by a Telford woman.
Alison Bellamy was drawn at random to win Grafton Farmhouse in Nonely, near Wem, this afternoon in the latest 'win-a-house' raffle competition in Shropshire.
Owners Nigel and Jane Chaloner put the stunning property up for grabs by selling tickets from £2-a-go. They sold 550,000 tickets, generating £1.1 million - £120,000 of which will be donated to Severn Hospice.
Alison, who works for West Mercia Police, was almost lost for words after she was selected by an online generator in a draw streamed live on Facebook.
She said: "I can't even speak at the moment. Oh my God, I'm shocked.
"I can't take this in. I'd forgotten about entering with everything that's going on."
WATCH the live draw here:
Builder Nigel and police superintendent Jane raised their own family and fostered 22 children at Grafton Farmhouse over the past 18 years.
Jane was pleased to see a Shropshire person win the home that they've loved.
She said: "It's surreal, it feels like it was all a dream.
"I'm just so happy that it has been won by a key worker and somebody local who will know all about the important work that the hospice does.
"There's a big part of me that wishes everyone could have won because everyone who entered has made a huge difference for the hospice.
"We've got so many memories from living here. The local kids would come and play in the garden, we've had community football matches here. We've made lifelong friends.
"A lot of the kids we've fostered here have said that being here made a big difference to them and living at Grafton Farmhouse were the best years of their lives.
"I'm so pleased for Alison. I'm sure she'll be happy here."
It comes three months after 23-year-old Jemma Nicklin from Bilston, Wolverhampton, won a £500,000 farmhouse in Longnor, near Shrewsbury, in a raffle where tickets also cost £2.
