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Neil Trotter named £108m Euromillions lottery winner | Neil Trotter named £108m Euromillions lottery winner |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A car mechanic who is also racing driver has been revealed as the winner of £107.9m on the Euromillions lottery. | |
Neil Trotter, 41, of Coulsdon, south London, who runs a repair garage in Mitcham called Chameleon Coachworks, scooped the jackpot on Friday. | Neil Trotter, 41, of Coulsdon, south London, who runs a repair garage in Mitcham called Chameleon Coachworks, scooped the jackpot on Friday. |
He was so confident he would win he told staff at his father's office on Friday lunchtime, "this time tomorrow" he would be a multi-millionaire. | He was so confident he would win he told staff at his father's office on Friday lunchtime, "this time tomorrow" he would be a multi-millionaire. |
His lucky ticket made him the National Lottery's fourth biggest winner. | His lucky ticket made him the National Lottery's fourth biggest winner. |
He is the first EuroMillions jackpot winner from the UK this year. | |
Self-confessed motor racing fanatic Mr Trotter came sixth last summer in the BMW Compact Cup as a newcomer. | Self-confessed motor racing fanatic Mr Trotter came sixth last summer in the BMW Compact Cup as a newcomer. |
He now plans to retire as a mechanic and follow his passion for British touring car racing. | He now plans to retire as a mechanic and follow his passion for British touring car racing. |
"I'm taking time off and going to really enjoy following the British Touring Car Championships," he said. | |
"It's my passion and I wouldn't mind a guest driver slot if I can find the right car." | |
He said he planned to replace his Ford Focus with a fleet of supercars, adding: "I'm going to need a lot of garage space at the new house." | |
The EuroMillions Lucky Dip ticket was bought from Londis store in Wallington, south London, and the winning numbers were 6, 24, 25, 27, 30 and Lucky Stars 5 and 9. | |
Mr Trotter learnt he was the single ticket-holder to scoop the massive jackpot on Friday at about 22:30 GMT. | |
"I've always thought I'd win big and I'd had a good feeling all week," he said. | "I've always thought I'd win big and I'd had a good feeling all week," he said. |
"On Friday evening we were sitting at home when I checked the time and thought the draw must have taken place by now. | "On Friday evening we were sitting at home when I checked the time and thought the draw must have taken place by now. |
"I took out my ticket to check the winning numbers and amazingly one by one they matched," he said. | |
"I told Nicky, my partner, 'I've done it, I've won the lottery'. | |
"But she told me to shut up and to stop being an idiot. | |
"Apparently I turned white as a sheet and couldn't sit still, I kept walking round the house - I didn't know what to do with myself. I got her to check the numbers with me and she started screaming. | |
"Next we called my dad but he said I was being an idiot too. It took him a while to realise we were serious. My dad's not often lost for words but he was on Friday night." | |
'Only Fools and Horses jokes' | |
Neil and his partner of eight years Nicky Ottaway, 33, finally went to bed at about 03:00 GMT but he said he had a restless night before calling Camelot first thing. | |
Mr Trotter said he was aware some people could joke about his surname and the fact he had become a millionaire. | |
"Me and my dad thought we'd heard all the Only Fools and Horses jokes but I can see this is going to run and run," he said. | |
"Still, being Trotters we were always going to be millionaires one day." | |
Top of the National Lottery rich list are Colin and Chris Weir, from Largs in Scotland, who won a £161m EuroMillions jackpot in 2011. | |
The second largest sum - £148m - went to Adrian and Gillian Bayford, from Haverhill, Suffolk, in August 2012. | The second largest sum - £148m - went to Adrian and Gillian Bayford, from Haverhill, Suffolk, in August 2012. |
The third biggest jackpot of £113m, in October 2010, was claimed by a winner who decided to remain anonymous. | The third biggest jackpot of £113m, in October 2010, was claimed by a winner who decided to remain anonymous. |
British winners have claimed more than £4bn in prizes since EuroMillions draws began in 2004. | |
Based on the Sunday Times Rich List for 2013, Mr Trotter will become the 745th richest person in the UK, with a fortune that would narrowly outrank that of pop stars George Michael and Robbie Williams. | |