Local and lucky: Big Black Country lottery wins
As local couple Stuart and Denise Powell celebrate beating enormous odds and winning the lottery twice, we've rounded up some of the biggest lottery wins in the Black Country.
Winners and new millionaires Stuart and Denise Powell are just the latest in a string of local lottery winners in recent years.
Hundreds of thousands of pounds is given out each year in the Black Country and beyond, with prizes ranging from enough for a celebratory drink to the sort of money that changes lives.
And while the Powells have been lucky enough to win big twice, they're not the only ones.
The last multiple winner, and Lottery millionaire, was retired colliery engineer Vic Eden, who made his claim just last month.
Mr Eden said that family was everything to him, and said that he would split the total three ways with his son and daughter.
Not everybody wants to announce that they've suddenly come into a lot of money, and the mysterious Mr W was one such person.
The retired man from Wolverhampton matched five main numbers plus the bonus ball in the draw back in August and planned to use his £52,000 windfall to pay off his mortgage.
Mr W's lucky pick came just weeks a separate anonymous Wolverhampton winner claimed £71,000. This person took their time coming forward, however, collecting the cash some four months after the winning numbers were revealed.
With just £11 in her bank account, Tettenhall born Jackie Murphy bought a national lottery scratchcard last year and became a millionaire.
The Shropshire care worker, who was 61 at the time, said she thought she might spend part of the win on a honeymoon.
Great Barr couple Colin and Brenda Roberts decided to splash out on a new house, new car and new teeth when they were the lucky winners of £4.3m.
The couple, who won the fortune in April 2014, had used the same numbers since the show had started.
Debra Bagnall was doing her weekly shop when husband Paul slipped off to buy some scratchcards. He came back £250,000 richer.
The happy couple, who had their win in 2014, said they hoped to have a new car, a sun-kissed holiday and even a West Bromwich Albion season ticket.
With so many winners, it's tempting to start investing. But not being in it to win it is infinitely less annoying that the occasional person who buys a ticket, wins, but never claims.
Just last year, £250,000 sat unclaimedin the Black Country after the winner failed to claim the prize.
But it's not all bad news - unclaimed money goes to a good cause, helping charities across the UK.
