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| West Midlands couple's £50k Valentines bingo date night win | West Midlands couple's £50k Valentines bingo date night win |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Wendy and Paul said they will put their winnings towards a Caribbean cruise | Wendy and Paul said they will put their winnings towards a Caribbean cruise |
| Wendy was disgruntled when her husband Paul suggested bingo for their Valentine's Day date night - but that would all change when she landed the £50,000 jackpot prize. | Wendy was disgruntled when her husband Paul suggested bingo for their Valentine's Day date night - but that would all change when she landed the £50,000 jackpot prize. |
| The 61-year-old, who visited Mecca Bingo in Wednesbury, said that while she had hoped for a more romantic night, the evening's events had left her speechless. | The 61-year-old, who visited Mecca Bingo in Wednesbury, said that while she had hoped for a more romantic night, the evening's events had left her speechless. |
| Paul suffered a stroke 13 years ago and Wendy became his full-time carer, leading them to "live a life of struggle" that the couple feel they are being repaid for at long last. | Paul suffered a stroke 13 years ago and Wendy became his full-time carer, leading them to "live a life of struggle" that the couple feel they are being repaid for at long last. |
| After 34 years together - which was also Wendy's final winning number - they are finally able to afford their long-awaited Caribbean cruise. | After 34 years together - which was also Wendy's final winning number - they are finally able to afford their long-awaited Caribbean cruise. |
| Wendy told BBC Radio WM she used to take her mother-in-law to play bingo every week, but had been unable to go in recent years. | Wendy told BBC Radio WM she used to take her mother-in-law to play bingo every week, but had been unable to go in recent years. |
| "Bingo is in the blood," she said. "We hadn't been in such a long time but the atmosphere was absolutely lovely. | "Bingo is in the blood," she said. "We hadn't been in such a long time but the atmosphere was absolutely lovely. |
| "I was expecting something a bit more romantic to be fair, but when I got inside I wasn't disappointed." | "I was expecting something a bit more romantic to be fair, but when I got inside I wasn't disappointed." |
| The jackpot moment | |
| Playing the National Bingo Game, Wendy dabbed off all the numbers on her ticket within the first 16 numbers called, triggering the jackpot. | Playing the National Bingo Game, Wendy dabbed off all the numbers on her ticket within the first 16 numbers called, triggering the jackpot. |
| The caller came and checked Wendy's ticket, but she said they still did not know how much they had won. | The caller came and checked Wendy's ticket, but she said they still did not know how much they had won. |
| Speaking about the moment she was told, she said: "For the first time in my 61 years on the planet I couldn't speak - which is rare for me. | Speaking about the moment she was told, she said: "For the first time in my 61 years on the planet I couldn't speak - which is rare for me. |
| "It still hasn't sunk in. We're working class people, we've always worked hard, and Paul had a stroke at such a young age which was devastating. | "It still hasn't sunk in. We're working class people, we've always worked hard, and Paul had a stroke at such a young age which was devastating. |
| "Life was a struggle. But I feel somebody somewhere has given me luck and has repaid us somehow for being good people. I feel honoured." | "Life was a struggle. But I feel somebody somewhere has given me luck and has repaid us somehow for being good people. I feel honoured." |
| Wendy's winning number was 34, which is the same amount of years she and Paul have been together | Wendy's winning number was 34, which is the same amount of years she and Paul have been together |
| Still processing the win, Wendy said that she and her husband had driven home from the Dudley Street club in silence. | Still processing the win, Wendy said that she and her husband had driven home from the Dudley Street club in silence. |
| Wendy said: "My husband and I had a real moment – he started crying, and I started shaking. | Wendy said: "My husband and I had a real moment – he started crying, and I started shaking. |
| "We've been through so much, and this means we can finally do the things we've always dreamed of." | "We've been through so much, and this means we can finally do the things we've always dreamed of." |
| Wendy and Paul said they had been saving up to go on a dream cruise in 2027, but they could now set sail much sooner than expected. | Wendy and Paul said they had been saving up to go on a dream cruise in 2027, but they could now set sail much sooner than expected. |
| Beckie Toovey, assistant manager at Mecca Bingo, was on duty on the night of the win. | Beckie Toovey, assistant manager at Mecca Bingo, was on duty on the night of the win. |
| She said: "It was amazing to watch such a wonderful couple get such a big win. And it's great for customers to see that big wins really do happen!'' | She said: "It was amazing to watch such a wonderful couple get such a big win. And it's great for customers to see that big wins really do happen!'' |
| The couple said they feel honoured by the win | The couple said they feel honoured by the win |
| Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. | Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. |