A couple from Launceston in Cornwall had a week they will never forget, winning £1,000,000 on The National Lottery and then, just seven days later, tying the knot!

Housewife Christine Jane, nee Buckton and now husband, delivery driver Nick matched five main numbers and the Bonus Ball in the Lotto draw on Saturday 15 October to win £1,000,000 and then hit the jackpot a week later, on 22 October, when they became husband and wife. 

The couple, who have been together for two years, have since termed their win as ‘a sort of unplanned wedding gift from work.’ Christine explained, “We hadn’t played The National Lottery in a fair few months before our win but, for some reason one of Nick’s work colleagues told him that we should buy a Lotto ticket that weekend. We got ourselves a Lucky Dip and here we are with a £1,000,000 win - a very generous wedding gift…of sorts!”

Christine, who has four grown children, was so stunned when she realised she and husband Nick, who also has four grown children, were millionaires that she literally fell off the bed!

Christine said, “It was the Sunday morning – the day after the Lotto draw – that I checked the winning numbers on my phone. I knew we had won something but didn’t register what so I woke my stepson up to check.”

Despite Christine’s stepson also telling her that she had won, she decided to go and get the ticket checked at her local shop. “I took the ticket to the local Spa to get them to run it through the National Lottery terminal and when the man behind the counter said, ‘Oh my God, you’ve won the lottery!’ I immediately said, ‘can I have my winnings now?’ He replied, ‘No, it’s too much for us to pay out, it’s £100,000! You’ll have to phone Camelot!’”

Christine, very much still in an excited daze, returned home and promptly phoned the National Lottery Line where the words Christine will never forget, ‘you’ve won £1,000,000’ were said….at which point Christine fell off the bed!

The news quickly spread around the family who descended on the couple’s home for an impromptu celebration….with one notable exception, Nick, who was still at work.

Christine said, “We were all waiting for Nick to get home to tell him, rather than phoning him with this kind of news whilst he was driving! When he came in the door one of our daughters said, ‘Dad, what would you do with £1,000,000?’ Nick obviously didn’t register the excitement and giggling because, rather than asking why he just said, ‘I don’t know?’. His face was a picture of confusion, shock and happiness as he was told, ‘well, you’re just won £1,000,000!’”

With the news that they were newly made millionaires still sinking in as Christine and Nick tied the knot just a week later, the wedding reception itself was extra special. Christine explained, “It was a magical day, even more so knowing we were millionaires. I married the man of my dreams and knew that our future was secure. I was so close to telling everyone at the wedding, and I don’t know how I kept it quiet, but for both of us it was the most incredibly happy day with all our family around. We knew, even if not all of them did, that we would soon be changing their lives for the better too.” 

Christine and Nick are now busy making plans of what they will do with their winnings – the couple have already bought a new van, an early Christmas present for Nick from his new wife – and Christine may well try to fulfil a lifelong dream.

Christine explained, “I had promised myself that I would swim with dolphins before I was 40, but that never quite happened. I now have the chance to make my dream come true and I’ll be looking at maybe renting a boat in St Ives to see the dolphins. I can’t guarantee that I will get in the water but just to see them up close in the sea will be a dream come true. We could go abroad to do this but why would I when I live in one of the most beautiful parts of the world anyway.”

The couple are also looking to buy a new home. “We live in a council house currently so we can’t wait to buy a new home for ourselves, it really would be a dream come true. We’ll stay locally as this is where we’re from and we love the area. Family is the most important thing in our world and we can’t wait to have the space for family gatherings in a house that can fit us all.” said Christine. 

The winning numbers for the Lotto draw on Saturday 15 October were 11, 13, 18, 25, 36, 55 and the Bonus Ball was 39. They matched five main numbers and the Bonus Ball to win £1,000,000. Christine bought the couple’s winning ticket at The Co-operative, Newport Industrial Estate, Launceston.