Couple score with £250k jackpot
He slipped off to buy some lottery scratchcards while his wife was doing the supermarket shopping.
But now Paul and Debra Bagnall are celebrating after scooping the jackpot prize of £250,000.
The 58-year-old realised he was a winner as he sat in his Peugeot 307 avoiding the rain while his wife was looking through the vegetable aisle at Aldi in Bearwood.
Now the couple, who celebrated their wedding anniversary the day after their win, are dreaming of buying a new car, a sun-kissed holiday and maybe even a West Bromwich Albion season ticket.
The couple also want to help some close friends with their finances.
Mr Bagnall, who works as a machine tool operator for Smethwick based watering can firm Haws Elliott, bought his winning card from the nearby DSM newsagent. After realising what had happened he went back into the supermarket to show his wife his card, saying 'I've had a win. We will never need to worry again'.
Mrs Bagnall, who celebrated her birthday yesterday, said she dared not celebrate immediately, instead she dashed to the till to pay for the food she had already put in her trolley.
Despite their nerves, it did not stop the couple deciding to go for a 1960s themed night out at The Abbey pub in Smethwick that night and Mrs Bagnall, who said she does not often drink, admits to being quite 'merry' that night.
She explained: "We called Camelot on the Saturday and we were told to write our name on the card and put it somewhere safe before they came out to check it on Monday. I was gobsmacked."
The couple toasted their win with champagne at Baggies' home ground The Hawthorns yesterday. Mr Bagnall said he had no plans to retire because he loved working with his colleagues – but did confess he might buy himself an Albion season ticket. His wife added: "I'm hoping he will take me on holiday to Mauritius."
The pair, who live in a mid-terraced house in Smethwick, said they had no plans to move home because they like the community around them.
