'The win changed our lives for the better'

While most people would regard a lottery windfall as the best news ever, for others it can lead them on a downward spiral

- LEBBY EYRES

Elaine Thompson, 68, looks back on the incredible £2.7 million National Lottery win almost 30 years ago that transformed her life 'T was hooked on the National Lottery as soon as it launched in November 1994. Like lots of people, I'd always buy the same three lines, with numbers chosen from birthdays and anniversaries.

My husband Derek, 66, and I are originally from Newcastle, but in 1995 we were living in Basingstoke. He was an accountant at Motorola and I had a job at a garage doing payroll. On 9 December - our 17th wedding anniversary Newcastle United were playing Chelsea and he went to London to meet pals and watch the game. "Don't forget to buy a ticket!" he said before he left.

Newcastle lost to Chelsea that daybut we would turn out to be the big winners.

Watching Blind Date with our kids Karen, now 39, and Gary, 34, I saw the numbers flash up on the screen. “Oh, I think we’ve won a tenner,” I said.

Karen ran to get the ticket and the very first line I checked matched what had flashed up on the TV – 5, 11, 12, 26, 29, 33.

It was a shock. But, incredible as it sounds, the week before I’d told someone I was going to win £2.7 million on the lottery one day and that’s exactly what happened. It felt like it was meant to be – only I didn’t expect it to happen so soon.