TWO Herefordshire millionaire lottery winners have been snapped by a famous photographer as part of 30-year celebrations of the national lottery, and the pair have revealed their first purchases with their new bank balances.
The Herefordshire winners joined 28 others who have won a combined £190m to celebrate the anniversary by posing for portrait and group photographs shot by Rankin- who has photographed a host of iconic figures including Queen Elizabeth II and the Rolling Stones.
Neil Leighton, who won £1 million on a National Lottery Instant Win Game in 2023, revealed his first purchase was a ham, cheese, and salami sandwich from Subway.
The 26-year-old from Herefordshire had downloaded the app only a couple of days before hitting the jackpot.
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Despite the humble first purchase, Mr Leighton eventually decided to spend a bit more of his winnings, taking 13 of his friends to a villa in Greece.
"It cost £30,000 but it would have been wrong not to do something really fun before sensible Neil took over," he said.
"Since then I have bought a four-bedroom house near my parents, and my mum still cooks me tea.”
Fellow Herefordshire winner Matt Myles became a millionaire in 2014. The 36-year-old said that in the first year of his win, he went "a bit wild", with his first purchase being a lads’ holiday with 13 of his best friends.
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"It was like a last dance – and I don't regret any of it," he said.
“I flew to Bali for five weeks, on to Thailand, Brazil for the World Cup, which was unbelievable, then went to Ibiza on the mega holiday with 13 of my pals."
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Ten years since the win, Mr Myles said that his life now revolves around his family, living with his wife Stacey and two sons.
“One of my sons is autistic, so we bought land around our converted chapel and built him a playground.
"The National Lottery win has helped me to be a much better husband and dad – and my giant cheque is in the shed beside my ride-on mower, to remind me just how lucky I am.”
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