Happy As A Clam In Nottingham

A FORMER Manchester United player, who joined the club ten days before the 1958 Munich air disaster, is celebrating the snatch of the day - after netting £400,000 on People's Postcode Lottery.

Clifford Bull scooped a share of £3.2 million, more than 65 years after being signed by football great Sir Matt Busby.

The ex-Busby Babe was once a promising left winger but was forced to retire in his teens due to a serious knee injury and retrained as a plumber.

Now the gobsmacked great-grandad wants to take a squad of 22 family members on the holiday of a lifetime.

Cliff, of Gotham, Nottinghamshire, said: "I'm absolutely staggered, I'm still lost for words. It opens up so many possibilities.

"I'm overwhelmed, to be quite honest. It's beyond what I could ever have dreamt."

Cliff - who has three daughters, seven grandchildren, and two great-grandsons - added: "I can pay for a holiday for all of the family. That would be my dream for all of us to go away, which at the last count was 22.

"That would make me very, very happy."

Cliff was among a trio of players who netted the top prize after their postcode, NG11 0JR, was announced as the winner of our Postcode Millions prize today. Each ticket was worth £400,000.

Shirley Woltman bagged the biggest prize of £800,000 thanks to playing with two tickets, and Cliff's close friend and next-door neighbour Mandy McMenamin also won £400,000.

The remaining half of the £3.2m prize was shared out between 237 people in the postcode sector NG11 0 - covering a string of south Notts villages. Each person won at least £6,201 per ticket.

After United legend Busby signed Cliff in October 1957 as a 15-year-old schoolboy, he left school and moved into digs close to Old Trafford on 27 January 1958

Cliff said: "I was 15 when I signed for Manchester United, and I signed the papers in Matt Busby's office. My mum always used to say that 'One of the greatest kicks I've had in my life was being able to kiss Matt Busby.'"

Ten days after his dream move, tragedy struck when a plane carrying Manchester United's playing squad and staff crashed at Munich airport. The disaster claimed the lives of 23 people.

After two seasons at United, Cliff signed for Nottingham Forest, but his football career ended prematurely after a series of nasty knee injuries which required around 26 operations. He has two artificial knees today.

Despite his short career, Cliff played with some of the world's best, including World Cup winner Nobby Stiles and Leeds United legend Johnny Giles.

Our Postcode Lottery camera crew knocked on Cliff's front door early this morning. He was joined by his three daughters, Claire McReynolds, Rebecca Albans and Rachael Bull, and they all screamed in delight when his winning cheque was revealed.

Moments later they paid an emotional tribute to Cliff's late wife and their mum, Jeanette Bull, who died three years ago, and credited her with Cliff's big win.

Rebecca said: "This is Mum and Dad's ticket. And Mum, God bless you, we know you are with us today, and we miss you. Whatever Dad does with this will be from the heart, what you would have wanted to happen as well.

"He's been a provider all his life for all of us, and the fact that life is going to be a little easier for him now is just overwhelming."

A teary-eyed Cliff added: "The overwhelming disappointment is that Jeanette's not here to see it, but she's a big part of this."

Family man Cliff was quick to say that he'd share his prize money with his loved ones.

He said: "I'll be able to help out all my grandkids financially, especially with the expense of things today. I'm sure they'll be over the moon, probably more than me.

"I'm getting on now, and I'm hoping to have a few more years, and I'd like to take the whole family away, which would be fantastic."

He teased: "Skegness at this time of year is a little bit nippy, we might have to go somewhere a little bit warmer."

Cliff and Jeanette started playing our lottery to support charities, and after nearly losing their grandson to meningitis they became ambassadors for Meningitis Now.

Cliff told us of his delight that his neighbour Mandy had won the same stunning sum.

He said: "It's wonderful news for me and for my neighbour as well - Mandy, who works so hard and is one of the NHS's little angels."

Watching on as Cliff received his £400k surprise was next-door neighbour Mandy McMenamin, who had received her own prize minutes earlier.

Upon seeing the six-figure sum, Mandy broke down in tears and said she'd treat her family and friends.

She said: "I just couldn't believe it. I felt butterflies, and I just wanted to cry, and I did cry."

Mandy is on a winning streak after landing smaller amounts of £376 and £150 on other lotteries in the last six weeks.

She laughed and said: "This is loads better, but I guess I am on a winning streak. I've never had this much in my bank in all my life."

Mandy wants to pay for a spa day at Eden Hall for her friends and give a helping hand to her son Rory and daughter Shannon.

Despite the bumper windfall, the elated gran-of-six said she won't retire just yet.

Mandy said: "I'm not going to retire but I'm gonna probably reduce my hours at work now."

Beach-lover Mandy, who already has a few holidays lined up for 2025, will treat herself to a dream cruise.

She said: "I have lots of holidays every year because I work hard for it, but I keep saying I'd like to see the white sand, which is like Caribbean sand.

"I can live comfortable, and I've got choices now."

Mandy and Cliff have been neighbours for six years, and she was over the moon that he'd won, too.

She said: "I moved here in January 2018, and the following year Jeanette and Cliff moved in, and when Jeanette sadly passed we became really close.

"He cooks me dinner for when I come back from work, and this week we've shared a bottle of wine almost every night. I'm so happy for him."

Semi-retired Shirley Woltman won the biggest prize of £800,000.

The merry mum-of-two was left speechless after picking up twin £400k cheques thanks to playing with two tickets.

Shirley said: "It doesn't feel real at the moment - I'm sure at some point it will become real."

Her son Alex and daughter Rachel were watching on as Shirley's prize was revealed.

Shirley added: "As a parent, all you want to do is make sure your kids are alright ... I'm going to cry again. To be able to get them sorted at their ages is just amazing."

Alex said: "It couldn't have happened to a better person. She's worked hard all her life and always thinks about everyone else before herself.

Rachel added: "There isn't genuinely a woman who deserves it more. She's done everything for us."

Shirley worked in the public sector all her life before taking early retirement in 2021 but decided to take up a part-time job at a friendship society.

She said: "I might retire for good now."

'Nana' Shirley also wants to treat her football-daft grandson Jamie.

She said: "He just thinks Nana has won a competition; that was his understanding of it. It's quite sweet.

"Jamie is a Forest fan, but his dad is a big Liverpool fan, so if Liverpool win the league, I'll treat them to a trip to the trophy parade."

Excited locals from the winning postcode sector found out how much they'd won at today's special Postcode Lottery event at East Midlands Conference Centre.

The village communities of Gotham, Barton-in-Fabis, Kingston-on-Soar, Ratcliffe-on-Soar and Thrumpton came together and cheered prizes ranging from £6,201 to £18,603, depending on how many tickets they play with.

One of the winners, Angie Willis, and her husband, Kevin, were left overwhelmed after winning £6,201, which had come just at the right time.

The couple, who have played for 10 years, are now planning to make 2025 a year of travel after sadly losing their two beloved dogs late last year.

Angie said: "We always put holidays on hold because of them. They gave us 16 amazing years, but now it's time to go and see the world. This win has come at the perfect time."

First on the list is a dream trip to Machu Picchu. Kevin said: "We love to travel, and this will help make that happen."

Angie added: "I had hoped for £1,000 to put towards a smaller holiday, but when I saw the cheque, I just wanted to cry.

"I haven't told anyone at work either - I think I'll just leave my cheque on my desk and wait for the reaction."

Aside from travel, Angie has her eye on a fun little treat.

She said: "I'd love an electric scooter. We live in the countryside, so I could ride it down the lane to the local bar!"

Another £6,201 winner was Emma Wakefield, who is now planning a long-awaited family getaway after an eight-year IVF journey.

Emma and her partner Nicola Chadwick are eyeing up a holiday to celebrate their win with their young daughter, aptly named Winnie.

Nicola said: "We're thinking about Switzerland; the Alps, maybe. We've never been before, but it just feels like the right time to go."

Emma added: "It was a long road to get here. We started the process at 40 and finally had Winnie just before turning 50.

"It took its toll; I've got grey hair now. But she's our little miracle."

Having played the lottery since moving into their home four years ago, they were delighted to meet friends and neighbours at today's event.

Emma said: "It's amazing to share this experience with them, and knowing Postcode Lottery helps charities makes it even more special."

Thanks to player support, 42 local charities across Nottinghamshire have received £816,350 in funding in the last 12 months.

Good Causes Everywhere

Today's prize is part of a draw promoted on behalf of Postcode Care Trust. Supported by our players, this trust provides grant funding to organisations that work to improve the health and lives of communities. Benefitting charities include Alzheimer's Society, Asthma + Lung UK, Breast Cancer Now and Young Lives vs Cancer.

With a minimum of 30% of each ticket price going to deserving projects, players of People's Postcode Lottery have now raised more than £1.4 billion for thousands of charities and good causes across Great Britain, as well as internationally.

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