Beginner’s luck, a post surgery boost and a proper nice farewell for residents of Melton street as players share £1 Million Postcode Lottery windfall
Updated: 4 hours ago
A Melton street is celebrating after eleven lucky players won their share of £1m on the Postcode Lottery with one winning on his first attempt.
Stunned groom-to-be Oliver Hart won £90,909 with the Postcode Lottery on his FIRST time playing – and just weeks before he’s due to get wed.
33-year-old Oliver only signed up in August after a workmate persuaded him to join – landing him a bumper payout in the last week of the September draws.
Now the dad-of-one is planning a dream honeymoon with overjoyed fiancée Chelsea, 32.
He said: "said: “I only started playing last month. A lady at work told me the Postcode Lottery was great, and I signed up there and then.
“I missed the August draw. This was my first one and I’ve only spent £12.50. It must be beginner’s luck. And, because of this, a lot of friends have decided to sign up now.”
He added: “It has been an incredible 2026. You just never believe that this will happen. Sometimes you’ve got a little guardian angel.”
Oliver shared £1m with 10 other neighbours in Staveley Road in Melton after LE13 0LN landed the lottery’s weekly Millionaire Street prize in today's draw. Every ticket was worth £90,909.
Tile firm customer service worker Oliver and Chelsea have already organised their November barn wedding celebration in Northampton.
The couple have invited 60 family and friends to their big day. And they’re now planning a special honeymoon after revealing they had been planning a smaller break.
Oliver added: “It’s 60 days until we get married and we’ll have lots of people asking for money from us soon. A couple of days ago we didn’t have this, and now we do."
We’ll have a really big honeymoon now. We’re hoping for America. We want to fly to Nashville then onto Las Vegas, before going to Hawaii to relax.”
Oliver has said he will buy the person who told him to join a 'big bottle'.
He said: “I’d say to her, ‘thank you’ with a big bottle of something. Maybe my work colleagues will get an invite to the wedding now, and maybe a tab behind the bar.”
Insurance claims handler Chelsea told how the couple’s six-year-old daughter Georgia went to school in the morning reciting the lyrics of the Postcode Lottery theme tune, 'Let ‘Em In'.
She said: “I don’t think she understands the concept. She just knows someone will be knocking on the door and ringing the bell. She went into school saying it today.
“It’s amazing, I would never have dreamt it. It was a bit of a shock when we got the call.”
She added: “This has brought a lot of neighbours together. We’ve been trying to figure everything out and will have a big get-together at some point.”
A FOND FAREWELL
Former neighbour Tina Culley told how she won £90,909 despite swapping her postcode to the family’s new address weeks ago.
Tina 59, and husband Carl, 60, moved from the family home of 30 years in August and changed her ticket to their new postcode.
However she was told the switch wouldn’t happen until the following month’s draws, meaning she was still signed up for the September prizes at her old address – securing the huge windfall.
Community Stalwart Tina, who has been a Scout Leader with her Husband Carl for 40 years said: “We moved six weeks ago, and I phoned up the Postcode Lottery three or four weeks ago to change the postcode to our new address.
“The lady I spoke to said that was fine, but it wouldn’t change until October. It means I wouldn’t have won if I’d phoned sooner. How flukey is that?”
And she laughed: “If that had meant we didn’t win, I think I would have been annoyed.”
Now grandparents Tina and Carl are set on helping family including their son, aged 34, and 31-year-old daughter.
Tina – who found out she’d won on her 36th wedding anniversary - said: “My son is just about to start university and needs a laptop. He can get that now.
“Our daughter has just been made redundant and we’re going to give her a year’s wage. All our mums have to work and miss out on their children. We want to give our daughter the gift of being a mum for a year and she can look for a job during that time.”
She added: “I would like a tiny piece of jewellery…a ring, depending on what else we get and how far it stretches.
“This means so much. I’m going to make sure our children are happy. And the Scouts might have a bit of it as well.”
POSTCODE IS WHERE THE MAGIC BEGINS
Along the road, Amy Egerton and fiancé Lee Masters are also intent on helping their growing family.
The couple have been planning to extend or sell their semi to give their sons, aged three and seven, their own rooms.
Amy, 34, said: “Our eldest needs his own space. It will be really important for us as a family. We’ve been looking at extending or moving so we can give them their own space. That’ll be massive.”
But there will be treats, too – including, possibly, a special holiday to the States.
Amy, who works supporting vulnerable students, said: “A holiday would be great…a change of scenery.
“The dream destination would be taking the boys to America and doing Harry Potter. I’m the biggest Harry Potter fan going, so that would be amazing.
“Our eldest son is also desperate to go to the wrestling. He’s a big WWE fan. It would be amazing to get a decent ticket for that. He wouldn’t believe it.”
Lee, a fencing contractor employee, added: “Christmas is going to be so special.”
The high school sweethearts were also delighted for the rest of their street’s winners.
Amy said: “What a great celebration to have us all winning. I think it is amazing. For every household that’s won on the street, this will be life changing.”
FAMILY FIRST
Next door Nigel Street, 68, choked back tears when lottery ambassador Judie McCourt presented his cheque.
And the big-hearted former pub and snooker hall owner’s first thought was to help charities.
Nigel said: “My God! This is absolutely fantastic. I’m lost for words. I’m getting quite emotional. Some of this is going to go to charity. We already support a lot of animal charities.
“There’s also a lady who does a cake stall at the end of the road to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support and a couple of local charities. I promised her some of this.”
Former pro golfer Nigel, who has played with greats like Ian Woosnam, Nick Faldo and Sandy Lyle before a back injury forced him to give up, was thrilled to share the £1m pot with so many others in the street.
He said: “I have really nice young neighbours around here and they need something like this to give them a good push in life. We’re a tight community and try to help one another out. That’s what we’re here for at the end of the day.”
But Nigel, who also refurbishes and sells old whisky barrels, may now fulfil a dream to restore a property abroad as a bolthole.
Nigel – who shares six children with his wife – said: “We are a couple who like the simple things in life. I’m not going to go out and buy a Ferrari. We’ll help the family.
“We’ve also toyed with the idea of buying something abroad, possibly somewhere in France. I’d buy something just above derelict and do it up myself and turn it into a nice retreat.”
POST-OP WINDFALL
Across the road, poorly Dave Hazeldine, 65, brightened up when he got his £90,909 cheque just days after having double surgery.
The dad-of-three was rushed back into hospital in agonising pain for a gall bladder op following spinal surgery.
Wife Jackie, 54, added: “I could cry. We’ve had a horrendous couple of weeks. When Dave has fully recovered from his two operations, we’re going on holiday.”
Dave responded: “You deserve it looking after me. We both love Greece. We’ve also been talking about a new car for months.”
He added: “I had a back problem for years and waited almost two years to get it sorted out. I had spinal surgery and thought that was great. A few days later I was rushed back in with severe pain and had my gall bladder out. That’s where I am at the moment.
“But we’re not going to rush into any decisions about what we’re going to do.”
SCOT'S GOING ON?
A few doors along, Cathy Peters told how she got the call to say she’d won as she travelled back from a holiday in her native Scotland.
Cathy, 70, was waiting for a bus at the airport after a few days with family in Newtonmore, Inverness-shire.
The mum-of-three said: “I couldn’t believe it. I thought they were having me on.
“I got the call to say I’d won when I was on the way home from holiday in Scotland. I’d just flown back from Inverness Airport and was sitting at the bus station at Luton Airport to go back to Leicester.
“I’ve got sisters, brother, cousins…everyone is up there. I can’t wait to tell them up in Scotland.”
Widow Cathy planned to crack open a bottle of Boizel champagne she’s kept since her wedding 46 years ago as she makes plans for the cash.
Now the mum-of-three will upgrade her 16-year-old Audi – and take family on a holiday.
Cathy, who also has seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren, said: “Maybe a family holiday and a little new car for myself.
“I used to have an Audi 4x4 and now have a 10-plate Audi 4 but I’d like a Q3.
“I’m going to Nashville this time next year with my two sisters and daughter. I’ll be upgrading. I always wanted to do that.”
The retired cleaner, who has lived at her address for 50 years, added: “I’m absolutely delighted…over the moon. I never thought it would happen to me. I expected about £30,000 at the most and was hoping for that. But to get three times that…!”
The Millionaire Street win means local organisations will get a cash boost thanks to funds raised by players.
Melton Learning Hub in Burton Road has been awarded £50,000. They support young people through a programme of alternative education, youth clubs, summer scheme and youth and family support workers.
Their community transport scheme has completed over 6,000 journeys taking vulnerable and elderly people to hospital and social appointments.
Manager Sarah Cox said: “This funding is such a shock, and we are so overwhelmed to have this unprecedented opportunity to invest in those activities.
“I think we are going to have some very excited young people when they hear the news. Thank you so much to Postcode Lottery players!"
Other charities benefitting from surprise funding, thanks to Postcode Lottery players, include Age UK Leicester Shire & Rutland who have been donated £40,000.
The charity works to help older people live happier, active, fulfilled and socially-engaged lives in communities around the city, county and Rutland. The voluntary organisation is committed to the welfare of older people to maintain their dignity and recognise their value as individuals.
Winning Millionaire Street locations are announced every Saturday. This means that following September’s Postcode Lottery draws, Postcode Lottery has announced five Millionaire Street winning locations.
Melton Mowbray is the fifth of those locations. Local charities in each of the five winning areas will share a combined total of £1 million to support their work.
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