Euromillions: Builder who won £105m lottery jackpot promises to keep working

'I was a shaking, gibbering wreck,' says Steve Thomson of moment he realised he had winning numbers

Vincent Wood
Tuesday 26 November 2019 22:46 GMT
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Self-employed builder Steve Thomson, 42, and his wife Lenka Thomson, 41, from Selsey, West Sussex, celebrate their  win
Self-employed builder Steve Thomson, 42, and his wife Lenka Thomson, 41, from Selsey, West Sussex, celebrate their win

A builder named as the winner of the £105m Euromillions jackpot has pledged not to stop working despite landing the “life-changing” fortune.

Father-of-three Steve Thomson said he felt like he was having a heart attack he realised he had the winning numbers on his Lucky Dip ticket and was a “gibbering wreck” as he told wife Lenka.

The 42-year-old said his priority would be buying a new house with a bedroom each for the couple’s daughter and two sons, who currently share in a “shoebox” three-bedroom house in Selsey, West Sussex.

Their £105,100,701.90 windfall came on the 25th anniversary of the first National Lottery draw, and marks just the latest instance of UK residents getting lucky on the European lottery.

Mr Thomson said: “I was a shaking, gibbering wreck.

“I walked round the living room a few times, I went out to the van, I went back in, it was five minutes of madness then I decided to go and tell Lenka.”

Ms Thomson, a shop worker originally from Slovakia, said: “It’s life-changing for the family. It’s so emotional.”

The family now plan to take a holiday but said they would to stay in the seaside town where they have built their life.

Describing the moment he told his children about the win, Mr Thomson said: “My eldest’s reaction, he’s a very sensible kid, he said, ‘Dad, can I have my own room?’. I said, ‘No problem, of course you can son’.

“My middle son said, ‘Can I have a Tesla’, and my daughter asked for a pink iPhone and she’s going to get that.”

Mr Thomson vowed to complete all of his outstanding work – and would likely continue to fit windows and conservatories into the future.

“Once I am over the shock I will need to keep doing something”, he said, “I am not the type just to sit still.

“My business partner knows that if he needs a hand I’ll be there.”

Neighbour Yvonne Dennett said Mr Thompson had fitted her windows in the past, with the 75-year-old adding: “He’s a kind, good lad, I’m happy for them. I would recommend him as a builder, he’s a trustworthy person.

“I hope he keeps working, we need something to keep going in life.”

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The couple who run the small shop that sold the winning ticket said it was “mind-boggling” to know they were part of Mr Thompson’s story.

Kandarp Patel, 58, who runs the shop with his wife Priti said the stroke of luck “could not have happened to a better couple”.

He added: “We have been trying so long and it’s nice to see one of our customers winning it.

“It is mind-boggling that one of your customers wins such a big amount.”

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