IN PICTURES: £1m lottery win for retired mine worker
It is first and second time lucky for retired colliery engineer Vic Eden who has become a lottery millionaire - just 12 months after another big win.
The thrilled pensioner from Rugeley felt blessed to win £3,000 last year on the National Lottery - but he was flabbergasted to find he had come up trumps again, this time winning £1m in last Saturday's draw.
The avid bowls fan, who worked at Lea Hall Colliery, made the discovery the following morning over his breakfast cup of tea and slice of toast.
He said: "I clocked the first two numbers. Then I went through them all and started to shake. I checked them again and again, I can't remember how many times, before calling my son."
But son Gary was walking his dogs on Cannock Chase and out of mobile signal range, so Vic called his daughter Gillian.
"I told Gill that I'd won the lottery and she didn't believe me. I told her to look on the TV or the internet whilst I shouted out the code. In the meantime Gary was trying to call me back but couldn't get through. Then, after they called round to home and we all realised I had won, all hell broke loose. "
Vic hid the ticket in a special box with seven keys while Gary called the National Lottery line to stake the claim.
The win makes Vic, who got his ticket from WHSmith in Brook Square, the second person from Rugeley to win big on the National Lottery this year.
In July, 21 year-old Kieron Vernon won £80,000 on a scratchcard.
This year has been a special year for Vic, as he celebrated his 80th birthday in June with Gary and Gillian, seven grandchildren and his wife June, who is in a residential home.
He said: "Family is everything to me and the win is being split three ways with Gary and Gill. The win will ensure a good future for them and the grandchildren but don't ask me what I'm going to spend it on because I'm not really sure."
Vic, who won on the Millionaire Raffle, still drives and is very active socially, regularly playing bowls at Lea Hall Social Club and in Cannock during the winter on the artificial grass lawns.
He has decided to treat himself to a few luxuries, however, including a car. He said: "I don't care what it is but I want an in-built satnav."
Every week Lotto Millionaire Raffle guarantees to create two millionaires – one on Wednesday and one on Saturday. Last Saturday, however, was a special Lotto draw when 10 millionaires were created in one night.
The National Lottery also provides cash to projects across the country, including in Cannock Chase Council area where 381 individual grants have been made, funding projects across the arts, sports, heritage, health, education, environment, charity and voluntary sectors.
