War veteran, 98, scoops £685,000 on Postcode Lottery after entering 3 times
A World War Two veteran is one of five pensioners who have been celebrating this week after bagging huge wins on the Postcode Lottery.
Bernard Botting became the oldest ever winner of one of the lottery’s big prizes, aged 98, and he not only one once, but three times as he pays for three tickets. Widower Bernard from Burnham in Seam Essex, was watched on by three generations of his family as he was presented with a cheque for £228,571.
But he was stunned when he was hen given another two golden envelopes, each containing the same amount - leaving him with a total prize fund of £685,713. With gasps of amazement from his tearful family, humble Bernard – who joined the Royal Marines aged 17 in the middle of WW2 - said: “I never thought I’d win, I just hoped.
“The family are all going to get something.” Bernard shared the September Millions joy with four neighbours in postcode TA8 2BQ. The rest of the £3.2 million pot was shared among 1,053 people in the wider postcode area of TA8 2.
Bernard, who served all over the world in the Armed Forces, started playing Postcode Lottery with his late wife, Doris, who died in 2017, aged 93. He said said: “When we started the lottery, my wife and I said that if we ever won, we must share it with family. Unfortunately, she’s not here anymore. My daughter will get the most because she has been fantastic. She took over from my wife when she died and looked after me every day.”
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He added: “It amazed me when you gave me the first cheque, then I got two other envelopes with the same amount in all three. My wife would be thrilled.”
Bernard with his family (Postcode Lottery)Across the street, Shirley Baynham, 71, was also stunned when her cheque was revealed, she said it was all down to her late husband Les, who died of cancer four years ago aged 71. Dinner lady Shirley, 71, told Somerset Live: “My husband always loved doing the Postcode Lottery, but he passed away four years ago. I wanted to keep it going, so I changed it over to my name. It seems as if he’s looking down on me and looking after his sons and grandchildren.”
Now she’s planning to treat her two boys and six grandchildren, as well as staff at the nearby primary school she works in.
Another neighbour, former lorry driver Peter Wrigglesworth, 81, joked that he’d give wife Joyce a little slice of his new fortune. Dad-of-two Peter said: “As Victor Meldrew said, ‘I don’t believe it’. I’ll give her £571 and I’ll decide what to do with the rest.” The great grandparents now plan to visit grandson Gavin Woolford, wife Myra and their one-year-old lad in Ohio, USA - and Peter’s brother Donald, 90, near Auckland in New Zealand’s North Island.
Bernard with his winning neighbours (Postcode Lottery)Directly opposite, winner John Bradbury, 67, and wife Alison, 66, said they’d love to go on a Nordic cruise – as well as look after their three kids and seven grandchildren. Retired hospital porter John said: “We’ll treat the kids, but we’re going to have a holiday. After that, we’ll sit down and think how to invest it.”
People’s Postcode Lottery costs £12 a month to play and there are guaranteed winners every day. People play with their chosen postcode and are automatically entered into all draws.
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