I missed out on almost £166,000 in Postcode Lottery winnings before I moved

A FORMER Coldstream Guard won the Postcode Lottery just 12 hours before he was due to move.

Alan Jones, 56, almost had his ticket canceled for his sold Tyne and Wear home.

Instead, Jones' Westerhope postcode struck gold on the final day at his home, with he and five other neighbors winning £166,666 each.

Jones said: “I wanted to cancel and renew my ticket wherever I ended up. Thank God I didn't do that.

“I have to be out by 2pm tomorrow and I'm actually packing up the house right now because I need a fresh start. This has helped me achieve that.”

Jones, a father-of-one, had just finished a night shift for Newcastle College as a security guard.

He had planned to move in with his cousin while he was house hunting, but he could be more flexible now.

Jones said: “I've always wanted to buy a log cabin in Northumberland. Who knows! I've also told my son I'll sort it out. A holiday in Turkey or the Greek island of Skiathos would also be good.”

'I can't process this. After I got the call I thought it might be £2,000 or £10,000 at most.”

He planned to re-enroll once he found his new home.

Jones said he would celebrate by going out to dinner and drinks.

Jones' neighbor Claire Turnbull said it was her mother who persuaded her to sign up.

Now she was holding a check on the occasion of her mother's 57th birthday.

Claire wants to buy a new car with her winnings and also spend on a family trip to Disney World in Florida.

She said: “I got rid of my car during Covid and never got another one. This means that I can get the kids out and about a bit more. I love Turkey, I could take the kids there or to Disney in America.

“I'm definitely going to spoil my mom and dad, and also my sister and her family. They all deserve a treat. I have a great family, they're always there for me.”

The Postcode Community Trust has also donated £70,000 to the Liberdade Community Development Trust, an arts organization for people with learning disabilities.

“Today's financing was desperately needed. Thanks to the players of the People's Postcode Lottery we were able to cover all our overhead costs for our community activities for the rest of the year, which is incredible.”

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