Newton Aycliffe Millionaire Street

EXCITED David Coglan is all at sea after winning a cheque for £58,823, and now he'll sail off with his wife on a Caribbean cruise after a "bad luck" 2024.

Grandad David will book the memorable holiday for his wife Pat just months after she was involved in a traumatic car crash with her son Brian, who has multiple sclerosis (MS) and is disabled.

David, of Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, said: "I'm a little bit emotional about it all because of what went on earlier this year and all the bad luck we've had."

He said he'd let his wife of 47 years pick the dream cruise and added: "My wife has always wanted a cruise. All of a sudden, I love ships!

"She's usually looking at the P&O Caribbean cruises. Her sister's been on one, and she kept saying to Pat, 'You'll need to do it one day'."

The retired school caretaker shared £1m with 12 neighbours in Newton Aycliffe after their postcode, DL5 4NT, was announced today as the winner of our Millionaire Street prize.

Every winning ticket was worth £58,823, but two neighbours doubled their wins with two tickets, and another player tripled their windfall to £176,469 with three tickets.

After seeing his prize, David said: "I'm 74, turned into a 12-year-old. I'm all giddy. We're just pensioners, but now we're pensioners with a healthy bank balance.

"I don't think we've ever had this much money. My bank manager will really like me now. I'm absolutely flabbergasted in a lovely way."

Now he's excited to bring in the New Year after the October crash, which shook their family.

He explained: "My son booked a holiday to Blackpool for the weekend, and when Pat was driving on the motorway with Brian in his wheelchair in the back of the car, another car crashed straight into the back of us.

"Fire engines, the police, and an ambulance were called out. They had to cut the back of the car open to get my son out and everything.

"Thankfully, Brian was okay. He has MS, and he's paralysed, and it was a huge collision to go through.

"Our car was written off, and we had to buy a new car. You see a lot of bad things come your way, and then for something nice to come along...

"We usually say it happens to other people, but it's happened to us now."

Pat added: "We've had some disappointing times, and this is a real buzz."

The cheery couple also want to make sure their son Brian, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis more than 20 years ago, sees a slice of their lottery fortune.

Moments after winning, Pat excitedly ran back into the house to show him their cheque.

David said: "Brian comes to visit us every Thursday, and it just so happened to be the same day that the Postcode Lottery turned up at our door. He might have brought us some luck."

Married Brian, who lives nearby, told his dad that whatever he was to win, it would make a lovely extra Christmas present.

David added: "It means a lot to know that this amount of money will allow us to look after our son. I can't put it into words."

Along with a cruise, Pat is also now eyeing up some home renovations.

Pat said: "We need to upgrade the kitchen, so we'll probably be doing that."

Joker David then chirped: "There'll be a new kitchen by the sound of it. I won't have any say in that. I'll do the cooking."

David was thrilled to hear that a dozen of his neighbours also celebrated bumper windfalls.

He said: "I'm delighted that people have won on the street. We know quite a few of them. I'm sure there'll be a few corks popping on our street."

Local golf professional Ernie Wilson also won £58,823 and said it'll sweeten his upcoming retirement.

He said: "I'm nearing retiring age, so it'll definitely go towards that and our family."

Grandad-of-three Ernie missed his cheque presentation because he couldn't get his shift covered, so he had to go to work at Woodham Golf & Country Club.

But Ernie's wife, Michelle, and their two daughters, Rachel and Rebecca, excitedly celebrated as Postcode Lottery ambassador Judie McCourt revealed his prize.

Michelle said: "That's life-changing for us. Ernie will be retiring in a few years, and this is going to be a nice lump sum to have.

"I could just scream and run about, but I've got a bad foot, so I can't. These things don't happen to us."

Ernie eagerly waited in the pro shop for his family to arrive. He'd made it clear he didn't want to get the news over the phone.

He said: "I told them don't contact me, just turn up, and they turned up with the golden envelope and showed me the cheque. It was an amazing experience, a once-in-a-lifetime experience."

Ernie admitted he had tossed and turned all night, anticipating our team's arrival.

He said: "I got up at 3am because it was churning over in my head and I watched lots of Postcode Lottery videos on YouTube.

"I read lots of the lottery's rules online and I didn't think it was going to be a small win and it really got me buzzing, to say the least."

Michelle added: "He brought me a cup of tea in the morning and said, 'I've been up since half past three'."

Shortly after surprising Ernie, his wife and two daughters took off for a night's stay in York and teased that they've already started spending his winnings.

Rebecca joked: "Dad's definitely buying the cocktails in York."

Michelle added: "We're desperate to get the champagne out now. I'm glad my husband signed up to Postcode Lottery."

The Wilsons, who also have a son and three grandchildren, are now scanning the Internet for holiday deals and house renovations.

Ernie said: "We'll have a holiday next year, that's for sure, but we'll need to discuss where we want to go. And we need to do some things to the house."

Shocked mum-of-two Lisa Curry turned to Judie McCourt and cried "Shut up!" when her cheque for £58,823 was revealed.

Lisa, a senior carer at Defoe Court Care Home, had just nipped home for a lunch break only to find our camera crew on her street.

She said: "It's surreal. It's mental. You see it on the telly, and you don't expect Postcode Lottery turn up on your doorstep.

"I had been working from half six that morning and I'd just popped home to get some food. I'm still in shock."

It's the third celebration in just five days for Lisa's family after they celebrated partner Alistair's 50th birthday on Christmas Eve and then Christmas Day with her two daughters before landing the bumper prize.

Lisa teased that Alistair - her partner of eight years - wasn't getting another present.

She joked: "He'll get what he's given."

Lisa added: "He'll be ecstatic when I tell him. He'll probably put some of it towards a new car."

Lisa told us that her first purchase would be a new kitchen, before she ponders where to go on holiday - but it won't be too far away.

She said: "I've been saving for a new kitchen, so that's definitely at the top of the list.

"And then a holiday in the New Year. But it won't be abroad - I've never been abroad. It'll probably be the Lake District, but who knows."

Lisa added: "I've never had money before, so I don't know what to do with it just yet."

Another winner was great-grandad Ron Blackett, who also took home a £58,823 cheque.

He said: "It's more money than I've ever had. I've worked for everything I have, and this is unbelievable."

The retired maintenance engineer, who worked in nearby Stockton-on-Tees for 48 years, is now thinking about a new motor.

Ron said: "My car is running a little bit ropey at the minute, so this has made my mind up. I'll be upgrading my Kia Sportage to a new one."

Local kitchen fitters will be busy come the New Year, with at least four of the winners now planning complete renovations.

Ron told us how his wife has asked for their kitchen to be remodelled.

He said: "We've just been looking at new worktops for the kitchen, and I did say to her, 'You can have worktops but not a full kitchen,' but she'll want a new one now."

Ron couldn't wait to share the news with his big family - five children, nine grandchildren, and his first great-grandchild, who he recently welcomed.

He said: "They'll all be ecstatic. I'm going to send them a picture of the cheque."

Ron's neighbour and friend Pauline Hood also won £58,823. She said: "To get this is absolutely unbelievable, it really is!"

All the winners were delighted that their prizes meant local charities also benefitted from their Millionaire Street win.

Dogs Trust Darlington has been awarded £100,000 by Postcode Community Trust.

The charity works to rehabilitate and rehome dogs across County Durham as well as working closely with local dogs and their owners at the centre's Dog School.

Whatever the reason a dog finds itself in Dogs Trust's care, the charity gives it tailored support while working to find its perfect forever home through a bespoke matching programme.

Rehoming Centre Manager Alex Hennessey said: "Thanks to our dedicated team of staff and volunteers, we have helped rehome over 700 dogs this year alone.

"The £100,000 in funding we have received has come as a complete shock to the team and will be hugely beneficial for us. Caring for dogs comes with significant costs, and this support will go a long way in helping us provide the care and attention every dog deserves."

Dogs receive around-the-clock support with welfare, illness, and injuries, as well as behavioural support, through individually tailored training programmes in a compassionate environment.

The centre includes 14 exercise paddocks, a large off-lead area, a training hall, a vet suite, a hydrotherapy pool, and physiotherapy suites.

Alex added: "No matter how long a dog has been with us and how attached the staff get to their distinct characters, it's always a time of celebration when one of our dogs finds their forever home.

"Being able to deliver our truly amazing rehabilitation and care programmes is at the core of everything we do, so thank you to players of People's Postcode Lottery for helping us to continue to deliver this life-changing work."

Another local organisation awarded funding is:

• Newton Aycliffe Youth & Community Centre - £25,000 Providing a variety of activities and services for different ages, including adult training to help move people back into work, as well as projects and activities for younger people. They also have rooms and halls available for hire.

All funding was awarded by Postcode Community Trust.

Thousands Of Good Causes

Today's prize is part of a draw promoted on behalf of Postcode International Trust. Supported by our players, this trust delivers grant funding to organisations that work to alleviate poverty, hunger and enable food security. Benefitting charities include Action Against Hunger, ActionAid and British Red Cross.

With 33% of the ticket price going to charities and good causes, players of People's Postcode Lottery have now raised more than £1.4 billion for thousands of projects and groups. Our players are changing lives for the better.

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