Stalybridge Millionaire Street

A STUNNED woman told her family that she had a feeling she would win People's Postcode Lottery - and she landed £200,000 just two weeks later.

Beth Gartside had considered cancelling her lottery ticket but adamantly told her parents that "one day" she would win big.

Now the mystic mum-of-three said she'll use her winnings to buy her dream house with husband Stephen Clayton - but she'll treat her parents before flying the nest.

Beth, of Stalybridge, Greater Manchester, said: "It's unbelievable. I just feel so lucky. I thought I'd win, but I just didn't think I'd win this much.

"I told my parents I would win one day."

She added: "I wasn't joking, I was dead serious. Maybe I'm just delusionally optimistic."

Beth and four neighbours shared £1 million after their Stalybridge postcode, SK15 1LQ, bagged our weekly Millionaire Street prize today. Every winning ticket was worth £200,000.

Beth, a homeless prevention officer for Oldham Council, was convinced she'd win, even after pondering whether she should continue playing.

Beth, Stephen and their three children live with her parents in Stalybridge after moving back last October.

Then, in May, she made the fortunate decision to change her postcode from her previous address, a rented house in Mossley, to her parents' pad in Stalybridge.

Beth said: "I just had a feeling."

Stephen added: "You were going to cancel it, weren't you?"

Beth admitted she thought about cancelling her ticket earlier in the year but had a feeling to keep playing.

She said: "I also told Stephen's mum and dad a few months ago that I was going to win, and then about two weeks ago, I told my mum the same thing.

"I just genuinely thought since starting it that one day I'm going to win it, whether it's now or in five years. You hear of so many people winning the Postcode Lottery because it's split between so many people."

The couple, who married two years ago, said they can now push the boat out and purchase their dream home.

Beth said: "Getting a house is everything to us. To have a family home and to give the kids their own bedrooms is everything."

Stephen, a senior support worker for Tameside Council supporting people with learning disabilities and mental health, said: "Our kids will get spoiled at Christmas, but they'll be so happy when we get our house."

Beth added: "We looked at a house listed for £200k recently, and we liked another one that was a bit more expensive, but didn't think we'd get it.

"We're going to push for more viewings now."

Stephen stared adoringly at Beth as she clutched her six-figure cheque. She joked: "He's not looked at me like that since I graduated. He's looking at me better now than on our wedding day."

Buzzing Beth now wants to repay her parents for their part in her bumper windfall.

She said: "We can treat my parents because it's their postcode. If it wasn't for them, we wouldn't have won.

"My mum was crying her eyes out when I showed her the cheque."

Watching on, as Beth received a life-changing surprise, was best friend Michelle Smithies who was also a Postcode Lottery winner.

Last July, Michelle won £1,359 when over 1,000 people in Middleton, Greater Manchester, shared £3.2 million in our Postcode Millions.

Michelle said: "I'm so delighted for Beth. It couldn't happen to a better person - it's well deserved.

"I got a letter in the post last year telling me I'd won, and my mum and dad also got one through their door. I'd only lived there a month, too."

Beth added: "I remember when Michelle won the Postcode Lottery. She phoned straight away to tell me. So, I told her that she had to be here for me today."

Beth and Ste are planning to buy a house in nearby Mossley and have been saving for a house deposit.

Beth said: "We've blown money our whole lives, but we won't blow all of this.

"The kids want their own bedrooms, and we want a family home. We're going to buy in Mossley - we like it there, and the kids go to school there.

"We have a little bit of money saved, but nothing like this! I've just been saving bottles of Chanel. When people ask how much have you saved: 'Well, I'm on my sixth bottle of Chanel...'"

Beth also said she might take a girls' trip to Paris - the home of Chanel.

Flatmates Mark Collinge and Chris Searle both won £200,000 just weeks before moving out of their current address.

Mark and Chris's mega windfalls have come at the perfect time after their landlord sold their rented accommodation.

Mark, a market researcher for Ipsos, said: "I am emotional. I've never won anything in my life. I'm just glad we haven't moved yet.

"This house has been sold and I'm actually in the process of moving out of here because the landlord has decided to sell.

"I leave on Friday for Thailand and when I come back, I'll be moved into my new postcode. So, I've been very lucky."

Mark, who was due to move out next Saturday, 7 December, has already secured another flat.

The timing of Mark's win couldn't be better, as he's jetting off on holiday in a few days.

He said: "I'm going to Thailand for a month over Christmas, to get out of the cold weather, to just relax and enjoy myself.

"I might do some travelling, go to Cambodia or Vietnam, but I don't know yet. It's going to be really relaxed now."

Keen runner Mark is now striding even closer to retirement. He said: "I'll be retiring at 67 for sure - no doubts about it. It's a life-changing amount.

"You work all your life and put a lot of money away to get a pension like £200,000 and I've just won this."

Despite having lots of packing to do for his imminent flat move and holiday, Mark said he'd take a break to let it all sink in.

He said: "I'm just going to sit down and look at this cheque all day. I was supposed to be moving more stuff out today. I might give it a miss and I'll do it tomorrow."

Tool setting engineer Chris also couldn't take his eyes off the prize. He said: "I can't stop looking at the cheque. It's hard to believe.

"I'll give some of it to my son and my grandson, and it'll be a great Christmas."

The pair plan to stay in touch even though they'll soon be going their separate ways.

Less than 20 minutes after winning, Chris jubilantly ran down the street to greet his friend and neighbour Lesley Woodruff, who also netted £200,000.

Mum-of-one Lesley said the stunning sum was beyond her wildest dreams.

She was joined by her partner, Lee Haworth, and they both shed a few tears upon discovering her winning amount.

Lesley said: "I'm numb. It's absolutely mind-blowing - we're just working-class people."

Lesley, who works for haulage company Hadfields Transport in Manchester, said she'd help her daughter Olivia get onto the property ladder.

Loving Lesley said: "My daughter and her boyfriend Joe are renting so I'm going to give her a big deposit.

"And I'll probably give my car to my daughter, and I might buy myself a nice new car."

Lesley and Lee hope to take a memorable trip to New York after a hard year for the family.

Lesley said: "I lost my auntie Anne, and Lee lost his dad earlier in the year. It's still very raw.

"So, we're going to have the best time ever, now more than ever. Hopefully, New York for New Year now."

Local plumber Lee is also going to buy a new work van after his current one recently broke down.

Lesley said: "We're not going to get it fixed, he can just get a new one now."

Lesley was delighted for her winning neighbours and ecstatic to hear that local charities had been awarded funding grants as a result of their win.

She said: "Mark and Chris in the flats next to us are lovely lads, and I'm dead happy for them.

"I cannot believe charities have benefitted from us. That makes me so happy because they need it."

Postcode Community Trust has awarded local charity Reuben's Retreat £75,000.

Founded by Nicola Graham in 2012, Reuben's Retreat was formed shortly after her 23-month-old son, Reuben, passed away from an aggressive brain tumour whilst on a family holiday in Devon.

The charity currently supports over 700 individuals, from families who have suffered child bereavement to those who have children with medical complexities.

Reuben's Retreat helps parents make the most of what can sometimes be their last moments with their children by organising family fun sessions and peer support groups in a fully accessible and safe space.

Nicola Graham, CEO, founder, and Reuben's mummy, said: "We aim to deliver bespoke support packages for each family allowing them to make magical memories in our retreat that's dedicated to Reuben's legacy.

"It means so much to us to be able to facilitate these experiences, for example via our hydrotherapy pool that has given parents the opportunity to hold children in their arms for the first time in 15 years in some cases."

Reuben's Retreat aims to completely renovate its building and eventually offer family breaks through a series of bespoke self-catering and accessible apartments.

Nicola said: "The incredible amount of funding takes us steps forward to realising our vision. The more money raised, the more of our building we're able to renovate, which means reaching more families in their darkest of days. The sooner we can complete, the sooner we can help more families create magical memories."

She added: "I cannot thank players of People's Postcode Lottery enough for helping us with this incredible funding."

Other local organisations awarded funding include:

• Age UK Tameside - £50,000 A local charity working within the community to help older people to stay well and supporting their families and carers.

• Tameside East Foodbank - £20,000 Part of a nationwide network of Trussell-supported food banks. They provide three days' nutritionally balanced emergency food and support to those referred to them in crisis.

All funding was awarded by Postcode Community Trust.

Supporting 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.

It's not just People's Postcode Lottery winners who benefit though. Our amazing players have raised more than £1.4 billion for thousands of good causes across Britain and around the world. 33% of the ticket price funds life-changing projects which make a difference to people and the planet. Find out more about the range of charities and good causes that our players support.

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