For most people, thoughts of winning the lottery will lead to dreams of an exoctic holiday - but for Raymond Young, who bagged £500,000, a weekend trip to Blackpool will do.
The 63-year-old from Edinburgh won the Thunderball jackpot prize, picking the same numbers he has used since the game launched nearly 25 years ago.
And after buying a new car and a static caravan, the British Gas worker chose to mark the win with a visit to his regular childhood holiday spot.
“I’ve been going there my whole life, from playing on the beach as a kid to staying with friends over the last decade, so it just had to be the place I chose to celebrate my win,” he said.
“For me, Blackpool has and will always be a home from home. It holds such special memories and I just love visiting a few times a year.”
Mr Young initially checked his winning ticket while half-asleep in the evening - before the next morning realising he had indeed won the top prize.
He bought his winning ticket from the Keystore, known locally as Fordel Services, in Dalkeith, Midlothian.
He said: “I had woken up in the middle of the night and randomly decided to check my numbers, which led me to see that I had won the top prize.
“I must have still been half-asleep though as in the morning I genuinely thought it was all a dream.
“So when I decided to have another check in the morning, this time fully awake, I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw that I was still a winner.
“I’ve treated myself to a new car, as I was already shopping around for one, so this just made it all the easier to buy what I wanted.
“I’ve also bought a static caravan, something that I’ve wanted to do for a long time but have never been able to.
“I’ve chosen a beautiful spot on the coast so I can’t wait to start going there with my family and friends.”
