Single mum on 拢400-a-week benefits scoops 拢14.5m on EuroMillions
Bev Doran, who has two autistic children, is swapping her 拢400-a-week benefits for life as a multi-millionaire.
Wednesday 22 February 2017 19:39, UK
A single mother of four who scooped 拢14.5m with a EuroMillions lucky dip ticket says she is overwhelmed to know "I'm never going to have to struggle again".聽
Bev Doran, 37, said her first priority is to move from her council house in Shipley, West Yorkshire, to a bigger home for her children, two of whom are autistic.
Ms Doran, who gave up work two years ago to take care of her family, celebrated by spraying the bubbly at a Bradford hotel after winning in Friday's draw.
She said her five-year-old daughter and her youngest son, nine, have been diagnosed with autism and another son, 10, is being tested for the condition.
Her oldest son, who is 17, has already asked if he can have £3m - a request she said she turned down.
Ms Doran said she had struggled to live on benefits of about £400 a week and laughed as she recalled how the call handler at the benefits office nearly dropped the phone when she rang to tell them her "circumstances had changed".
Ms Doran said: "I've been there like most people. I've struggled. It's overwhelming to know that I'm never going to have to struggle again.
"To be honest, I'm still in a whirlwind, I still haven't got my head round it.
"I don't know what I'm going to spend the money on and I don't know who I'm going to help.
"But, obviously, people are going to benefit from it. I won't be keeping it all to myself. The main thing is that my children are going to be fine.
"I've spent many a night with depression wondering what would happen to my children, especially when they're older. Now I don't have that worry."
She said she is looking for houses in the same area and is keen to get a holiday home.
She was speaking about her EuroMillions win as Paula Barraclough, 45, and Lorraine Smith, 54, from Tyne and Wear, were explaining how they shared the £15,342,900 prize in Saturday's Lotto draw.
The pair have been friends for 17 years.
Care home cook Ms Smith, whose husband died six years ago, bought the lucky dip ticket by chance because her bus to work was running late.