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​Self-Employed Gardener Wins £3 Million On Scratchcard

​Self-Employed Gardener Wins £3 Million On Scratchcard

He's planning on buying himself a new digger and treating his mates to a trip to Russia if England gets in the finals

Jess Hardiman

Jess Hardiman

We've all dreamt of winning the lottery, compiling a hypothetical list of all the great things you'd do with it. Buy a house? Go for it - buy two. Go on the trip of a lifetime? Might as well make it a first class ticket.

Sometimes we spend so much time dreaming away that we forget that people actually do win the lottery - as James Evans from Romney Marsh in Kent recently experienced, having landed himself with a whopping £3 million ($4 million).

PA

James, a self-employed gardener, felt inspired to treat himself to a scratchcard after remembering about a guy from his area winning big on one.

James, 30, said: "A mate needed a hand moving some hardcore and I agreed to help. As we were working we got chatting about the challenges of starting out in business and cash-flow.

"We actually spoke about a local lad who won on a scratchcard and joked that a nice little win like that would mean I could buy a new digger and trailer."

After their chat, James decided that if there was a parking space outside his local shop, he'd nip in and splash out on a couple of scratchcards.

James continued: "Amazingly there was a space right outside so I took this as sign, popped in and bought my scratchcards and a drink.

"I played one with no luck and then played the £250M Cash Spectacular scratch card and matched the number 17.

"As I revealed the winning amount I was distracted by something so didn't really see it properly.

"When I looked back down and saw the £3 mill symbol I didn't believe it. I have to say I've once before read it wrong and thought I had a big win so was a bit suss and thought my mind was playing tricks again.

"I paused and then had another look, and thankfully the £3 mill was still there."

It was then that a super stoked James called his partner, JoJo, to let her know the good news. JoJo, a full time baker who James has been with for four years, thought he was joking and told him to get back to work.

But James wasn't joking, and he rang Camelot to confirm the big win, before arranging to speak to a winner's advisor on Monday morning.

James said: "To keep my mind busy over the weekend I pottered about in the garden, went for a bike ride, took the dog for a walk and even mowed the neighbours lawn, anything but think about the scratchcard I had sitting in my bedside table that could make me a multi-millionaire.

"I have to be honest, I really didn't believe it but when JoJo's car suddenly packed up on Saturday I really hoped it was real."

Now that the money's in the bank and his wish list of ultimate spends has become a reality, he's just got the tough job of working out what to do first - that includes buying himself a new digger (d'awww) and treating his mates to a trip to Russia if England gets in the finals (absolute hero).

PA

James continued: "We've always dreamt about moving to Cornwall and in fact that's what we were slowly working towards, now thanks to the win our daydream has been fast forwarded at warp speed.

"We will start looking for a nice little farmhouse with some outbuildings and about an acre of land to call home. I will establish a maintenance business and JoJo a bakery in one of the little seaside villages. And I'll finally get that new digger and trailer."

James also plans to splash out on his and hers Mercedes (an A45 AMG for him and a GLS to replace JoJo's 16 year old Nissan X-Trail to replace JoJo's old Nissan) and holidays to Thailand and the Gorges du Tarn in France. Nice, eh?

He said: "I'm going to buy mum a bungalow on the banks of the Tamar River and look at hiring a villa in Ibiza so we can treat friends and family to one hell of a holiday in the sun.

"And if England make it to the finals, a few of us may also be heading to Russia but that particular adventure is in the hands of fate.

"Mind you, luck and fate have gone in my favour recently so maybe Moscow does await."

James added: "It really is magic. This time last week I was busy thinking of ways to help get my business off the ground, now I'm thinking about what to do with £3 million quid."

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: National Lottery, UK News, News, Community, UK, Lottery