Scots man makes emotional call to claim EuroMillions win

Jim Forbes, 50, and wife Pam won £655,838.70 by matching five main numbers and one Lucky Star on EuroMillions. The couple plan to go part-time so they can enjoy their win together along with their two children, Aaron, 19, and Chloe, 16.

Jim discovered he had won when he popped out to do some shopping. He was buying some Lotto tickets when he asked the cashier to check his EuroMillions ticket. When he heard the words ‘you have to call Camelot’ he never dreamt that it would be a six-figure sum.

“When I got outside the shop I phoned The National Lottery Line. I thought they would say I had won a couple of hundred or even a thousand pounds but then the call handler asked me if I was sitting down. When he told me the amount I was ecstatic, people in the car park must have wondered what was going on!

“I couldn’t believe it. I just kept thinking this doesn’t happen to people like me. I had to go back into the shop to check some details. I was chalk white and told the customers in the queue that I had just won £650,000. One man joked to the cashier that he wanted her to give him my numbers.”

Jim didn’t want to call Pam and panic her at work so instead called a work colleague to say he’d need Monday off as he’d just won the Lottery. “My colleague’s first reaction was ‘Ach away Jim!’ I’m always joking around so he didn’t believe me straight away.

“It didn’t really sink in until I came downstairs on Monday morning. Instead of going to work I sat down on the sofa and said to Pam, ‘is it true? Have we won the lottery?’ Then I burst into tears!”

The hard working couple don’t want to leave their jobs but they are going part-time to allow them to spend quality time with family and friends. “I’ve worked long hours all my years, including spending 22 in the RAF. This win really will change my life in that I can get precious time to spend with my wife and children.”

Although Jim never expected to win the Lottery he had a bucket list ready just in case his numbers ever came up.

“I’ve always wanted to go to Hawaii. I used to watch Hawaii Five-0 and wish I was there, and also my years with the RAF sparked an interest in the historical aspect with the Arizona memorial. The dream is to walk down the stairs of a plane and be greeted at the bottom with a lei. I can make that come true now.”

Also on the list were spending Christmas in New York with wife Pam and taking son Aaron back to Cyprus where he was born. Jim also plans to buy a new home

“This will be the first house we’ve ever owned as we’ve always only rented until now. Then I’ll buy a campervan for the driveway – I’ve always wanted one and it will be great to be able to head off for weekends away now we will have more free time.”

3rd October 2017