Workaholic straight back to job after hearing of Lottery jackpot

A 64-year-old man described today how he went back to work just an hour after finding out he and his wife had won £7.7 million on the National Lottery.

Ivan and Susan Westbury, who own Sentinel Lightning in Nottingham, did not realise they had become multimillionaires until Mrs Westbury visited her local Tesco store on Sunday morning.

After having her ticket scanned in the shop and being advised to contact Camelot, she rang her husband who was at work, and he came to join her at the store.

After finding out they had won the rollover jackpot, self-confessed workaholic Mr Westbury returned within an hour to his lightning protection business which he has run for 19 years.

"I went back to finish off what I was doing," he said.

"I've got a passion about work and I know it's my own business but it's more than work, it's a passion with me and I just love what I do.

"I suppose you could call it sad but I haven't had a day off for four years."

Mrs Westbury, 62, who works alongside her husband, bought the Lucky Dip ticket in Morrisons at Victoria Parkway in Netherfield, Nottingham, but never expected it to be the rollover winner worth £7,706,631.

She said a queue had formed behind her as her ticket was being checked and the news began to sink in, and that she "nearly passed out".

"This gentleman passed me and just said, 'Congratulations, I don't know how much you've won, but congratulations'."

When the couple later found a local pub to try to toast their win, they realised they did not have enough cash on them to buy any drinks.

They vowed to carry on working, mainly because they will not leave their 30 staff unemployed, and will finally take a holiday - worth £9.50.

Their budget break to Cornwall was lined up before they found out about their new wealth and was booked after they collected newspaper tokens.

The couple, who have been married for 21 years, said they will do the "normal Lottery things" and perhaps buy a new car and house, but plan to use their windfall to make life a little more comfortable for their three grown-up children - Annette, 41, Leighton, 37, and Paul, 36 - and their seven grandchildren, as well as their beloved 12-year-old dog Holly.

Mrs Westbury said: "This money is for sharing and will make all the difference to our family.

"Although we will carry on working, I also hope to find us a new home and even persuade Ivan to take his first holiday in four years."

They both said the money would not change them and hoped others would not treat them differently.

"I think we can well manage it, we don't get very excitable," Mr Westbury said.

Mrs Westbury added: "It makes you a little bit frightened but I think with the people around us we're going to be okay. I think we're going to be looked after."

Not having had the chance to celebrate their win yet, the couple said they planned to head back to the office and open a bottle of champagne to share with their staff.