Imagine the absolute high of winning the lottery. The total buzz, the excitement, all that joy of finding out you’ve bagged a load of cash.
And while most of us really only can imagine it, George Mounsey got to live it.
However, when the man who thought he won a whopping £1 million on the Postcode Lottery immediately went next door about it, he was told some bad news.
The grandad lives in Breaston, Derbyshire, and was absolutely buzzing earlier this month when he landed the jackpot sum of money for his postcode.
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But, as it goes with the Postcode Lottery in the UK, it didn’t all end up being his.
The grandad’s first instinct when he heard the incredible news was to pay a visit to neighbours Paul Rowland and Alison Browne.
And he then learned the disappointing reality that while the jackpot might have been worth £1 million, the rules mean it has to be split between all the players in the postcode.
As well as Paul White in the bungalow opposite Mounsey, there was another neighbour who wished to remain anonymous. Therefore, each of them bagged £200,000.
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Sure, it’s not the initial £1 million he thought, but the bloke still won a hefty sum.
Mounsey who lives with his childhood sweetheart, Margaret Blurton, said: “We couldn't believe it when the three houses won together.
"We didn't know they were in it until we went round and banged on the door and asked, 'Are you in the Postcode Lottery? Have you had a phone call?’”
Plus, it was far better than he thought it was as the bloke added: “I'm in shock at the moment. I thought it would be £30,000. But this is unbelievable.”
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The stunned couple aren’t totally sure what to do with their winnings as Mounsey said: “We haven't got a clue what we're going to do. We're not short of money, we're very comfortable.
"Margaret would like a static caravan in Yorkshire somewhere. We'll see, we may invest.
"We've travelled the world and seen a lot of places. We've got two Schnauzers and when you've got dogs, you've got to think about them all the time. World cruises are out."
And with four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, his partner added: “The family will get better Christmas presents this year.”
Mounsey chimed in: “We might even get a bigger turkey!”
Jess Battison