ladbible logo

To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

Lottery Winner Who Claimed £2.7 Million Jackpot Still Stacks Shelves

Lottery Winner Who Claimed £2.7 Million Jackpot Still Stacks Shelves

Elaine Thompson says she wants to be a good role model for her children

Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers

A woman who won a £2.7 million jackpot on the lottery still stacks shelves at a supermarket.

Elaine Thompson, from Killingworth, north Tyneside, works as a shop assistant at Marks & Spencer because she wants to be a good role model for her children.

And the 64-year-old really puts in a shift, starting work at 2am and finishing at 9am.

Elaine became a millionaire back in 1995, but despite rolling in cash, she decided to carry on working and set a good example for her two kids, Karen and Gary, who were five and 10 at the time the win.

She and husband Derek, 62, have since used their money to help Karen and Gary buy their own homes.

And so committed to her job is Elaine that she worked throughout lockdown despite having asthma.

She said: "I did the 2am starts everyday, so I'm in from 2am to 9am. The company was fantastic. They let me go at 8.30am because I'm asthmatic and I'm vulnerable so I was not with any of the customers.

Elaine and Derek scooped £2.7m back in 1995.
NCJ

"I was leaving the house at 1.15am every morning, I get up at midnight.

"A couple of times during lockdown it was really really hard. I was driving to work thinking 'What am I doing?'

"But I kept working all the way through.

"I could not have done furlough. I'm coming up to 65 next week but I'm not ready to retire yet."

Speaking about her decision to carry on with her day job after cashing her ticket, Elaine said it was 'important to her' to have a career.

Elaine, who lives in Killingworth, said: "I had two young children at the time when I made the decision.

"It's important that children see you working hard, and that we don't get anything out of life unless you work hard for it."

Elaine loves working at Marks and Spencer.
NCJ

Elaine and Derek are set to celebrate 25 years since they won big, a date which also coincides with their wedding anniversary.

And while some people are shocked when they hear that Elaine still works hard, she says she absolutely loves it.

She said: "People ask me why I have not got a cleaner. If she came to clean, I would have cleaned the house before she got here.

"For me, I was brought up to be a hard worker, I love to work. I have got the best job in the world.

"I absolutely love my job and just because I won the lottery, this didn't make me want to give up work. I think it is all about balance.

"I have continued to work but work hours which are more suited to me and with the remainder of the time I have been able to help out at and support charities which are close to me."

According to Camelot, over half of National Lottery winners still work in some capacity and just under a quarter of them have started their own business after their win.

Featured Image Credit: NCJ

Topics: UK News, Inspirational