Carer wins £1m on lottery 'by mistake'

Lynne Groves: 'It was surreal thinking all our worries were over. I thought I would be working until my late 60s.'

Lynne Groves celebrates her surprise win with her daughter Gemma (Camelot)

A carer is celebrating winning £1million ‘by mistake’ – after a shopkeeper originally printed her a ticket for the wrong draw.

Lynne Groves, 57, from Chelmsford, won big in the Lotto Millionaire Raffle on February 24.

Delighted that she can now treat her family and friends to cars and foreign holidays, the mother-of-three and grandmother to eight, is sure fate played a helping hand.

She said: “I know the family who run my local shop really well and there’s always a joke or kind word when I pop in.

“On Wednesday night I asked for my Lotto tickets and by mistake the shopkeeper ran off EuroMillion tickets, and then realising the mistake, ran off my Lotto Lucky Dip tickets a few seconds later from the machine.

“I’m sure it’s those precious moments that made me a millionaire.”

A carer for more than 30 years, Ms Groves was completing a night shift when she found out she had won.

“I was looking after a gentleman who I have known for many years,” she said.

“About midnight I made myself a cup of tea and decided to check my lottery tickets.

“I saw that the main numbers didn’t match but then I worked my way down to the Lotto Raffle, I couldn’t believe my eyes, it matched.

“It was a surreal experience thinking that all our worries were over.

“I thought I would be working until my late 60s, possibly beyond, and then thanks to one whopping dose of luck and a simple mistake, suddenly that’s all changed.”

Ms Groves bought the winning ticket at Nisa Castle Stores in Chelmsford.

She added: “I’m always joking with Pierce in the shop that when I win I’m sending him off to Australia. It’s become something of a standing joke, now that joke is a reality and Pierce is speechless, for once.

“I’m also going to give Jack who sold me the ticket something. His little mistake has had a massive impact on my family’s life so he also deserves a treat.”