People living within an Wiltshire street got the perfect Christmas present by winning £30,000 thanks to the Postcode Lottery.
Those living in SN6 8PS in the town of Bishopstone were lucky enough to win big on Christmas Eve.
Bill, a three times cancer survivor won £60,000 thanks to playing with two tickets. One of his neighbours also scooped £30,000.
After Bill got a knock at the door from People’s Postcode Lottery and collected a cheque for £60,000, he said, “After everything I’ve been through with my health, this is the icing on the cake.”
“I’ve had three lots of cancer and I thought I was very lucky after they said I was cancer-free for the third time, but to now win £60,000 – I nearly fainted!
“I was shaking, and it wasn’t due to the cold. The feeling was indescribable. To have that much money in your hand, it just doesn’t feel real.”
Bill, a retired builder and decorator, hasn’t had the best of luck with his health. He’s battled three different types of cancer – skin, prostate and bowel cancer – over the last decade.
“I firstly had skin cancer – melanoma – I had to go into hospital and get a big chunk of skin removed from my shoulder.
“A couple years later I was passing blood and my wife took me into A&E and, after a number of tests, it turned out I had prostate cancer.
“Luckily enough, my doctor caught it early enough and I received intense radiotherapy every day of the week until the cancer had gone.
“In March 2020, two years after getting the all-clear from prostate cancer, the doctors discovered that I had bowel cancer. I then had an operation, which despite being successful, left me with unbearable pain for weeks. I wouldn’t wish that kind of pain on my worst enemy.
“Thankfully, I’ve had the all clear now – touch wood – but I can’t say it’s not going to come back because it’s always a possibility.”
The £60,000 win means that Bill’s wife Linda could retire from her job as a senior care worker at a local care home.
Bill said, “The night after the Postcode Lottery surprised us Linda quit her job. So, that was another big bonus.
“She’s been working 12-hour days, four days a week, and the other night, before we won, I was thinking: why can’t something happen that would mean Linda could retire?”
The couple plan to spend their winnings on house renovations and treating their family.
Bill said, “We need new windows and a few other things done on the house.”
Linda added, “We’ve got five children, so they’ll have something, and they’ll be happy – we’ll all be happy.”
Bill said he’d be celebrating the meal with his family, “I’ve booked a table in a local pub, the Sunday roast is second to none, and I’ve got all the family together for a Christmas meal.
“I have a bottle of champagne in the house that I might pop open.”
People’s Postcode Lottery Presenter Matt Johnson delivered the good news to Bill and Linda. Matt said, “I had such a great time surprising Bill with such an amazing amount of money. His reaction was lovely, and he definitely wasn’t expecting it.
“Congratulations to both our winners in Bishopstone. I hope they have a fantastic time treating themselves, and their loved ones, with the cash.”
Every day 20 postcodes are randomly selected to win and people in those postcodes who purchased a Postcode Lottery ticket will then receive £1,000 per a ticket.
Every Saturday and Sunday, one lucky postcode will receive £30,000.
