£100KThousand means all the extra trimmings this Christmas

Mandy Carter, 52, won on the anniversary of her father's passing, which she believes is no coincidence.

"It was the last Christmas Countdown scratchcard left and was just visible in the stand, so I thought it must be worth a go. Wednesday also marked a year since my Dad passed away and I truly think he is watching over me."

She purchased the winning scratchcard with the £2 winnings from a previous scratchcard, and said the win couldn't have come at a better time after a challenging few months at her work as a Dementia Carer.

Special treats

Mandy was having trouble convincing her daughter Hannah (22), of her windfall, until she suggested going out for dinner – which they rarely do – and then encouraged her to order whatever she fancied.

"We rarely eat out as I'm usually working late hours, but Hannah didn't believe I had won, until I arranged for us to eat out and showed her the scratchard. She then asked, "Can I have a naan with my curry then?"

"The clutch had gone on Hannah's 12-plate Kia, so we've been able to have that fixed straight away and have both had our cars valeted as the first of many treats – along with the lovely curry we had out!"

From Tewkesbury to Tenerife

Mandy is also planning to whisk the family away on a holiday to Tenerife in the new year with Hannah, her mum, younger sister, brother in law and nephew.

"The biggest relief has been to be able to pay off debts and bills for both me and Hannah – that is a wonderful feeling. I've never been a big spender and am not a frivolous person. I can't imagine ever being interested in designer purchases, but to be able to start over with a clean slate feels just fabulous. This win gives me peace of mind and that’s priceless."

31st October 2018