Razzle-Dazzle In Newcastle upon Tyne

A RETIRED antiques dealer won £402,919 on Postcode Millions, then revealed the news has come as she hopes for the final all-clear from cancer.

Innis Gamble, who was diagnosed with stage 4 skin cancer last year, scooped the largest share of our £3.2 million prize.

And she thanked her guardian angel and husband Dave for saving her life. Now the Gambles are set on completing their bucket list - starting with trips to New York and Thailand.

Innis, of Fenham, Newcastle upon Tyne, said: "The world has opened! I'm walking on air. I'm literally floating at the moment and Dave is holding me down, so I don't float away.

"This money will change our lives forever. I really do feel like I have a guardian angel now."

Innis celebrated after her postcode, NE4 9XU, was announced as the winner of October's Postcode Millions prize today.

And 390 of her neighbours shared the remainder of the multi-million-pound prize, each netting cash prizes ranging from £6,146 to £36,876, depending on the number of tickets they played with.

Innis couldn't believe her windfall after already beating the odds as she recovers from melanoma, which was at an advanced stage.

She is waiting on the results of a third scan carried out just days ago - after two previous checks came back clear.

She said: "I'm grateful to be alive. It started with a freckle on my arm which changed shape, so I thought, 'I've got to go to hospital and get it checked.'

"I had surgery to cut out the cancer from my arm but in October last year tests showed it had spread to my armpit, chest and stomach."

Innis, who bears an S-shaped scar on her left arm, then started immunotherapy treatment for the cancer, which was successful.

She added: "Thankfully, it worked and I'm still here. I had my last scan last Saturday. I haven't had the results back yet, but my last two scans have been clear.

"And now this has happened. I'm just waiting for the alarm clock to go off because it doesn't sound real yet."

Innis, who owned an antiques shop, had looked to the sky while she held her £402,919 cheque.

Later, the mum-of-two said: "Unfortunately, I've experienced a lot of loss, and I was simply thanking everybody."

She also credits her husband Dave for saving her life after eight years of feeling lost following the passing of her previous husband.

Innis said: "My life's been up and down for years, many years, and Dave has saved it.

"I lost my previous husband 15 years ago, and I was alone for eight years, and I couldn't have been any lower until I met Dave on a dating website."

Innis, who married dad-of-one Dave in New York's Central Park in 2016, added: "It was meant to be. We are going to enjoy this."

Dave, who works as a complementary therapist, said they wrote a bucket list together and now plan to start ticking it off.

He said: "It's perfect timing when you get to our age. You build up a little bucket list, and we wrote one together. It can all happen now.

"We got married at Wagner Cove in Central Park and it was the best day ever and we'd love to go back.

"We stayed on Seventh Avenue in a honeymoon suite on the 73rd floor with balconies and its own kitchen. We might even see if we can stay there again."

Innis, who reminisced about taking a horse and carriage ride on their wedding day, added: "We've got to go back to take the horse a carrot. We forgot the carrot the first time round."

Innis and Dave also plan on taking a once-in-a-lifetime holiday to Thailand, but before then Innis plans on writing a book about her life.

Innis, who ran her antiques shop in Norton called Yesterdays with her late husband, said that much like antiques, her life consists of lots of stories.

Adopted at birth, Innis found her birth mum, brother and sister 52 years later and said she's always wanted to tell her story.

She said: "I think I'm entitled to write a book."

The couple both care for Dave's mum, Marcella Cook, who turned 102 on 2 September, and plan on celebrating together with a bag of chips.

Innis and Dave and lots of the winning locals attended our winners' event at NUCASTLE community hub on Saturday morning.

Among the winners who turned up to collect their golden envelopes were Anne Laws, her daughter Zoe Dodds, and their next-door neighbour Annie Runham.

Between their two houses, they held four winning tickets for £6,146 each.

Anne, a retired nursery teacher who now runs a children's charity, said: "I could not believe it. It's the most fabulous feeling ever. And I'm delighted for the couple that's won the lot.

"But for us, this is life-changing."

Newcastle United fans Anne and Zoe had lots to celebrate on Saturday as they picked up their cheques at the home of Newcastle United Foundation - located close to St James Park - just two hours before the Magpies beat Arsenal 1-0.

And Newcastle's winning weekend continued as Zoe, an avid supporter of both the men's and women's football teams, travelled to Birmingham yesterday (Sunday 3 November) to watch Newcastle United Women triumph 2-0.

Zoe is now eyeing up a holiday to Marmaris, Turkey, and plans to celebrate with her husband Mark, who also scored the same amount.

Anne and Zoe turned up at the event not knowing their friend Annie, who lives next door, had also won.

Annie, who works at The Fire Station, a music venue in Sunderland, is now debating what long-haul flight to take.

She said: "My husband's working in China and Hong Kong just now, and he said I should fly out and we'd make it a holiday. Maybe I will. But I've never been to America, so maybe New York or Nashville would be cool."

Chef Narin Frizzel is also planning a sunshine break after scooping £6,146.

Narin, who works at the Malmaison Newcastle hotel, said she'll spoil her family and take a holiday to her favourite spot: Salou in Spain.

She said: "It's a dream come true! I'm so happy, this will be life-changing for my family. And to be sharing this win with my neighbours is amazing."

Christine Graham had double the reason to celebrate, as she received a cheque for £6,146 on her birthday.

Christine, an NHS nurse, said: "I'll be using some of this to treat my two sisters and my daughter - maybe with a trip to Copenhagen!"

Debbie Glasgow also won the same prize and is set to welcome her first grandchild in May.

She said: "I'm so excited to buy a beautiful pram for my son Jamie and daughter-in-law Jude."

Presenter Judie McCourt, who presented the prizes, said: "It was a real pleasure meeting so many of our winners on Saturday. I hope they enjoy spending the cash!"

She added: "It was great to give them the good news at Newcastle United Foundation's community hub, a charity which they and fellow players help support."

Postcode Lottery players have raised more than £2.7 million for the Newcastle United Foundation. The charity uses the power of football to connect, motivate and inspire people in Newcastle, Northumberland, North Tyneside and Gateshead.

It runs a whole host of programmes including education, health and wellbeing, and sports. The charity strives to improve physical and mental health, boost learning and career prospects and provide life-changing opportunities for everyone.

Charities Everywhere

Today's prize is part of a draw promoted on behalf of Postcode Children Trust. Supported by our players, this trust provides grant funding to organisations that inspire and support children and young people to make the most of their lives and opportunities within their communities. Benefitting charities include Children North East, Magic Breakfast, Girlguiding and The Scout Association.

Our players are raising funds for charities and good causes across Britain and around the world. To date, People's Postcode Lottery players have raised more than £1.4 billion for thousands of deserving projects and organisations. That support is changing lives and making a huge difference every single day.

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