Mary Jones wants to go on holiday and buy a couple of cars

An "overwhelmed" Mary Jones, 62, from Bala, discovered her lucky dip ticket had turned her into Wales' latest multi-millionaire while watching TV on Wednesday.

She is the biggest single lottery winner in Wales although a syndicate won �9.4m in 1997.

As she picked up her cheque for �9,382,492 at Ruthin Castle, Denbighshire, on Friday afternoon Mrs Jones, who is semi-retired, said she would not give up cleaning completely just yet.

"At first I thought I'd matched three numbers and had won �10 but then I saw I had the rest of the numbers too," she said excitedly.

She has been doing the lottery every week since it launched ten years ago, and plans to spend the money on her house and treats for her four children and four grandchildren.

Her initial plans include a couple of new cars: a Volvo for herself and a Mini for her daughter - as well as doing up her terraced home.

Syndicate

Mrs Jones, who has never been on holiday, has lived in the same house near Bala for 40 years and works 20 hours a week admitted she was "shocked" by her new financial status.

"I've never been on holiday before at all, not even in this country," Mrs Jones admitted.

Her ticket, bought from the high street in Bala, was the only one with six numbers in Wednesday's rollover draw.

She realised she had won after watching Wednesday's lottery draw live on TV.

"I was watching Coronation Street and I switched over for the end of the lottery and my numbers came up.

"I thought I'd won �10 but then I realised I'd got all the numbers."

On Friday, Mrs Jones spoke animatedly about her plans for husband Robert, 77 and her four children, as she sat in the luxurious surroundings of Ruthin Castle sipping tea.

"This win means that the whole family can start the year on a high note," she said

"I'd put my winning ticket inside a biscuit tin and then in the safe too, so as not to take any chances," she added.

A syndicate of six people from Wales picked up �9.4m in 1997, but Mrs Jones becomes the biggest individual Welsh winner.

In November, another couple from Denbighshire won �3m after discarding their normal six numbers for a lucky dip ticket.

Lyn and Michael Walker won �3m

Former publicans Lyn and Michael Walker from Ruthin discovered their jackpot win when they checked their ticket in the local supermarket.

Six months earlier, in May 2003, a mother-of-five from the Conwy Valley won �5.5m.

Gwenan Williams and husband Rheinallt from Llanrwst did not realise they had won the money until they asked for the ticket to be checked in their local shop.

A spokeswoman for Camelot said wins were like buses. "You get no wins in an area and then they all come together," she said.