Darren plans to tie the knot after winning £1MMillion Lotto prize

Darren McGuire, 46, hopes to wed Laura Thwaites, 40, after winning the incredible prize on Lotto. He said, “We were going to get married years ago, then Laura fell pregnant and we moved house. I also regularly work seven days a week as a gas engineer for a housing association in Bolton – a job I love – so with all that we never got around to tying the knot. However, with this win under our belts we’re hoping to get married in real style sometime soon…”

Darren discovered his incredible win just before heading off on a family holiday to Cornwall. He admits the rest of the week was “basically just a blur”. So much so that they have already booked to go back to the same spot next year.

The couple have already treated themselves to a new car, a Volvo CX90, replacing the ‘bone rattler’ that Laura is happy to admit she hated. Meanwhile, their two kids have a few requests of their own. Laura said, “One has asked for a PlayStation 5 and the other fancies going on a shopping spree for clothes and trainers. We’ll see what we can do!”

At some point in the future, Darren may start his own business, but he’s in no rush. He says he and Laura are just normal people; they’re not in any way ‘flash’.

Laura, who works as a receptionist at a local company, added, “We love our house, the area we already live in and the people in it. We will be looking to build an extension and expand into the roof to give the whole family more room. We also want to convert the cellar into a bar and party room. We like a party and we will definitely be celebrating the win, several times over I should think!”

A holiday in Spain is also on the cards. Darren said, “Time abroad – just a week in Spain – will allow us all to let it fully hit us what an amazing thing has happened. We’ll be able to make some plans and decisions about the future.”

19th August 2025