Man wins £1m using late dad's lottery numbers

A man has won £1m on the National Lottery using the lucky numbers left to him by his late father.

James Hayes died in 2010 and a notebook containing the numbers was among the belongings he passed on to his son Sean.

The 56-year-old from Witney, Oxfordshire, said he discovered his life-changing win while at the pub.

Sean, who only began playing Lotto with the numbers again in recent months following a years-long hiatus, said the win was a "really nice connection to his dad's memory" and that he hoped to use the money to buy a house.

"At first after he passed away, I would put the numbers on each week but then I lost the booklet," he said.

"I only found it again recently, around Christmas time, and I decided to start playing the numbers again and that's how I won."

He added: "To think that my dad chose these numbers all those years ago before he died is just unbelievable."

Sean, who works for a bespoke electronic firm, said he was out with his wife Sara on a date night when he realised the numbers had come in.

"I had to call The National Lottery to confirm that I had won, but the phone signal was terrible as the pub is an old Cotswold building, so I was moving about desperately trying to get a signal so they could hear me," he said.

"When I eventually managed to get reception and speak to someone and they confirmed I had won £1m, it was absolutely unbelievable, and a moment I will never forget.

"We had a few extra drinks to celebrate that night."

He added: "Being able to buy our own house after years of renting is going to be so great and we would love somewhere with a garden.

"I'm so grateful to my dad to have chosen these numbers, the money is going to make a real difference to our lives."

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