£45m lotto winner toasts with roast

News in pictures
News in pictures
On Facebook
From the blogs

More than half of Afghanistan’s families live in extreme poverty

Leila is watching her baby intently, as his mouth moves trying to swallow the small blob of yellow p...

Time for a new approach to alcohol

Ambulances were called and three drunk teenagers were brought to my care. One was so drunk we had to...

Bahrain: One year on

I am used to endless lies and criticism from the BNP and its favourite blogster, as well as Islamist...

Paul Volcker stands tall against the banking lobby

Why is Europe, which likes to present itself as an opponent of speculative "Anglo-Saxon" finance, li...

The couple who scooped £45.5 million in the Euromillions jackpot today told how they celebrated with a traditional Sunday lunch washed down with a couple of bottles of champagne at their local restaurant.

Les Scadding, 58, and his wife Samantha Peachey-Scadding, 38, from Caerleon, South Wales, could hardly believe their luck and had to double check their winning ticket.



Mr Scadding said: "When I asked the people behind the counter to check the numbers the machine just printed out a pink slip telling me to contact Camelot.



"I thought I might have won around £50,000 and I rushed home to tell Samantha."



After frantic double checking online, he said: "It was a very funny couple of minutes. We just looked at each other while it sunk in before we got on the phone to Camelot."



They are thought to be the seventh set of lottery millionaires to come from Gwent in the last three years.



A group of IT workers from Liverpool were also celebrating their share of Friday's night whopping £91 million jackpot.









Mr Scadding discovered that he and his wife had won the jackpot after going to a Tesco supermarket in Newport, South Wales, on Saturday evening to buy some groceries.

He decided to check his Euromillions ticket on the way out of the store, at which point he was told to contact Lottery operator Camelot.



Taking the news in their stride, the couple decided to celebrate over Sunday lunch with Mrs Peachey-Scadding's mother in their favourite restaurant, The Priory in Caerleon.



Mr Scadding said: "We always go to The Priory, as I know the owner really well, so we wouldn't have gone anywhere different.



"We ordered a couple of bottles of champagne and just had a quiet chat about it all, and tried to let it all sink in."



Mr Scadding, who has three grown-up children from his first marriage, is a qualified mechanic but has worked for many years as a driver.



He is currently out of work, and had been looking for temporary driving contracts until his incredible win on Friday.



His wife runs her own marketing company from home.



She said: "There is quite a lot of pressure involved in running your own business, and I've been working 12-hour days recently. This win means I can take my foot off the pedal and relax a bit."



Mr Scadding said his first purchase would probably be to replace his Citroen C5 with a Range Rover Sport.



The couple plan to move to a bigger house, but say they will probably stay in South Wales, although they may also buy a holiday home.



They also intend to splash out on holidays in Barbados.

Independent Comment
blog comments powered by Disqus
Career Services

Day In a Page

Picture preview: Portrait of London

Portrait of London

Picture preview
No secularism please, we're British

No secularism please, we're British

Arguments about the role of religion in national life have recently acquired a new urgency
Harold Tillman: 'Chinese tourists can save the high street – if we let them'

Harold Tillman interview

'Chinese tourists can save the high street – if we let them'
Working as a jail torturer ruined my life

Working as a jail torturer ruined my life

Meet the former soldier who has joined the political prisoners he tortured in Turkey's Mamak prison by suing the generals who led a regime of terror
The local high street jet shop

The local high street jet shop

Got a spare $50m and can't stand the queues at Heathrow? Get yourself down to London's first private plane dealership
Do you like your doctor? It could be the death of you

Do you like your doctor?

It could be the death of you...
The mysterious affair of how Agatha Christie is teaching foreigners English

How Agatha Christie is teaching foreigners English

Twenty of the author's novels have been adapted and presented with learning notes and a CD
Six Grammys, five years off: Adele puts love before career

Six Grammys, five years off

Adele puts love before career
The 10 Best binoculars

The 10 Best binoculars

From no-frills to bins with digital cameras
Milan for £300

Milan for £300?

A cultural family holiday - on a budget - to Italy's most stylish city
'Black-hole' resorts: Turn up, tune out, log off

'Black-hole' resorts

Turn up, tune out, log off
New Arsenal face an old question of credibility in San Siro

New Arsenal face an old question of credibility in San Siro

Remodelled since winning in Milan in 2008, for all their consistency – and prize-money – Wenger's side are yet to claim a European title
James Lawton: This prodigal son deserves no forgiveness

James Lawton: This prodigal son deserves no forgiveness

City would be putting their desire to win title ahead of morals if Tevez plays for them
Mark Cavendish: Is Olympic gold at end of the rainbow?

Mark Cavendish interview

Is Olympic gold at end of the rainbow?
Apple admits it has a human rights problem

Apple admits it has a human rights problem

After years of complaints and workers' suicides in China the technology giant faces up to the human cost of its gadgets