A Luton Airport worker who scooped £1million on the EuroMillions celebrated his win with a first purchase of a pair of £9.99 Tesco slippers.
John Baxter, 63, works in Technical Services at the airport and won the money in Tuesday’s raffle draw.
As well as the slippers, he will also be treating his wife to her first request; a new stainless sink.
John said: ““I have everything I could want in life; a lovely home, a long and happy marriage and the most wonderful family, including my three sons and nine brilliant grandchildren. The win is just the icing on the cake.”
The Baldock resident didn’t realise he was a millionaire winner until he went to buy tickets for the Friday night draw and was persuaded by the shopkeeper to check his previous tickets.
He didn’t think the numbers matched but had overlooked the Millionaire Raffle on his play slip.
John said: “It was amazing. I’ve been going into Gary’s shop for years so we have a good friendship and it was great that he had sold me the winning ticket. Some of the people in the shop heard the man from Camelot on the phone say I had a big win and there was pandemonium with everyone congratulating me. By the time I’d walked home to break the news to my wife, one of the other customers had already shot around in her car to share the news!”
John, who had a triple heart bypass a few years ago, has a reputation for being something of a practical joker so for some people it took a while to sink in, while others thought it was the shop playing a long overdue trick on John.
Family and friends joined John and his wife of 45 years, Carol, at their home for a weekend of celebrating with 15 treated to a slap-up meal at a local restaurant on Saturday night.
John said his family will all be treated in the coming weeks but he will be investing most of the winnings for the short term while he decides on his future.
Early retirement may be on the cards as well as a holiday and of course the sink for his wife.
He will also be making a donation to The Meningitis Trust, a charity he has supported since his granddaughter, who is now 19, survived the disease when she was a baby.
The winning ticket was bought in Basra’s Store on Yeomanry Drive, Clothall Common, Baldock, Hertfordshire. The winning EuroMillions Millionaire Raffle selection was KZZ838323.