Teenage student wins £7m on the lottery

A teenage student today said she "couldn't stop screaming" when she won more than £7m on the Lottery.

Ianthe Fullagar, 18, from Ravenglass, Cumbria, said: "At first I thought I had matched three numbers, so I couldn't believe it when I realised I had the five main numbers plus one Lucky Star.

"I checked the back of the ticket and saw that the average win for those numbers was £280,000 and couldn't stop screaming. My mum called the National Lottery Line and it was only then that I realised I had won a share of the jackpot.

"We were both screaming so loudly that my dog, Brock, didn't know what was happening and bit me on the bottom."

Miss Fullagar had only played the EuroMillions once before, but decided to have another go because the jackpot was over £100m.

Currently on a gap year before she starts her law degree in 2009, she is now busy making plans for her future. After treating herself to a holiday in Egypt, she will share the money with family and friends and buy herself a black Ford KA.

Eventually she wants to start her own law practice.

She added: "After waking up everyone in the house and checking the numbers over and over again, we drank some Prosecco to celebrate and I called my boyfriend Sam.

"I didn't know what to do with my ticket, so after hiding it in my bra and jewellery box, I settled for my gym bag until it was confirmed I was a winner.

"It still hasn't sunk in yet but we have already celebrated with a traditional family party - beans on toast, curly fries, cider and loads of ice cream."

The win echoes that of another famous Lotto millionaire from Cumbria, Callie Rogers, who found money does not necessarily buy happiness.

Five years ago Callie, then aged 16, won £1.9m.

But money did not bring complete happiness.

Now a mother-of-two, Callie, from Workington, said recently: "The thing about money is you worry if you don't have it and, if you do have it, you wonder if it is going to last."

Today she said she wanted Miss Fullagar to enjoy her fortune: "I am really pleased to hear that another girl from Cumbria has won big on the Lottery and I wish her all the very best.

"I hope she enjoys it as much as I have. The win has changed my life for the better and five years on I now have my own house, financial security and a gorgeous family.

"I am now settled, much more confident in myself and happy."

Miss Fullagar, who won £7,055,142.10 in Friday's EuroMillions draw, was one of the lucky 15 who each won a slice of the £102m EuroMillions jackpot.

Each matched five numbers and one Lucky Star number in the Europe-wide lottery.

Camelot, which operates the Lottery, said four of the winning EuroMillions tickets were bought in the UK - and one is still unclaimed.

The winning numbers were 14, 29, 31, 33, 37 and the Lucky Star numbers 1 and 2.