The couple were too busy working to check their winning ticket

Alexandra Dyer, 49, and her husband John, 51, who run the Knaresborough Working Men's Club in North Yorkshire, only found out they had won the Lotto Extra jackpot on New Year's Eve morning - four days after the draw took place.

Mrs Dyer said she was joking with club customers on Monday about how nice it would be to win, not knowing the ticket she had bought two days earlier had already proved lucky.

Speaking at a London press conference on Friday, Mrs Dyer said: "I actually said to one of my customers 'I could be a millionaire'. I hadn't checked my ticket - and I actually was.

Behind the bar

"It is just sinking in a little bit. Initially I felt totally shocked, went white as a sheet, and couldn't stop shaking, but it is really a great feeling.

"Now things we have always thought about doing with family and friends we can actually do, which is great."

Mr Dyer, who has four children from a previous marriage, said: "The first thing I did when she verified it with Camelot was to go downstairs, and one of the lasses said: 'Can you change the Tetleys. It has gone off!"'

Despite their massive win, the couple still got behind the bar of their club on New Year's Eve, as they could not find anyone to take over their shift.

Winning numbers

But they were joined by friends for the evening and picked up the tab for the night, which was estimated to be more than �1,000.

The couple now plan to give up their jobs, but will use part of their win to help refurbish the club.

They also plan to buy a new house and cars and help charities for those with special needs.

Their winning Lotto Extra numbers for the draw on Saturday, December 27 were 3, 6, 36, 40, 48 and 49.