‘Don't do anything in a rush': Belfast's £10m winner offers advice to €250m EuroMillions ticket holder yet to come forward
Former bus driver Peter Lavery scooped £10.2m in 1996.
This week's EuroMillions draw saw someone in the Republic of Ireland, who bought their ticket in a shop in Co Wexford, win €250m (£213m).
We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity.
The numbers were 13, 22, 23, 44, 49, while the lucky numbers were three and five.
The record-breaking win surpasses the €175m record for the largest cheque ever presented to an Irish player in February 2019.
Previously earning £200 a week driving his bus route, Mr Lavery quit his job two days after he won £10m.
He went on a 10-person holiday to a five-star resort in St Lucia and also recalled taking 22 people to New York for St Patrick's Day.
Mr Lavery also set up a charity in memory of his parents and gave around £2m to other charities.
Speaking on BBC's Good Morning Ulster today, Mr Lavery, a director of Titanic Distillers, admitted that when compared to €250m, his £10.2m didn't sound like a lot.
'It does not, but let me tell you something, what I won was a massive amount of money,' he said.
'It was over 29 years ago, it's unbelievable. I just want to say good luck to the person who has won it.
'They are probably shocked. At the time, I was one of the biggest wins in Northern Ireland, £10m in 1996 is a lot of money. You just can't be an ordinary worker today and have a quarter of a billion in your back pocket.
'It's a big scoop. Whoever has it, fair play to them. I hope they really enjoy it – that is more important than anything else.'
Chaotic scenes as Kneecap's Liam Og O hAnnaidh arrives at court
He added: 'I think the right thing to do is to put it in the bank and get their head around it. Buy a few odds and ends. If they really want a new car, go buy it, go on holiday, do things like that.
'But don't do anything in a rush. They have all the time in their lives, and hopefully they are young enough to enjoy it.
'Everyone has that dream of winning the lottery. You never think it is going to be you. Everybody plays the lottery to change their lives.
'You don't do half the things you say you are going to do. I have seen the globe, I have done everything else.
'I was young at the time, I was 34, a good age to get it. I have had a good life of it. I just hope and pray that the person, or persons, who have won it will have the same luck as myself.'
It has not yet been confirmed exactly where the winning ticket was sold, but the National Lottery has urged the winner 'to stay calm, get independent legal and financial advice and contact us as soon as they can'.
Speaking on Wednesday morning, National Lottery spokesperson Emma Monaghan confirmed the winning ticket was purchased in a retail store somewhere in Ireland and said more information on the location where it was bought will be released in the coming days.
'So, shortly after the draw last night, a small number of people internally got word that it was an Irish winner, so it was all hands-on deck last night,' she told RTÉ's Morning Ireland.
'But we're delighted with it. We're delighted for the winner. I mean, it's just such great news for our players and they've now become the highest ever winner of an Irish National Lottery game. So, that is some title to hold.'
She said the National Lottery's prize claims team opens from 9am this morning and as of yet, the lucky winner is yet to make contact.
'At the moment we're just urging everyone to check their tickets very carefully this morning. If they are holding the winning ticket, the most important thing they can do is to sign the back of it and keep it somewhere safe. And the next step then is to contact our prize team,' she said.
'I don't know who has won it, but somebody out there is holding the winning ticket. In terms of location, what I can tell you is that the winning ticket was bought in a retail store somewhere in Ireland.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
5 hours ago
- The Independent
Rachel de Thame urges people to take same care with finances as with gardens
Green-fingered grandparents are being urged to apply the same habits they rely on when gardening, such as sharing local knowledge and advice, to helping to protect themselves against financial fraud. Take Five to Stop Fraud has partnered with BBC Gardeners' World's Rachel de Thame and the National Allotment Society to launch a new awareness drive called 'protect your patch'. Ms de Thame said: 'We can't bury our head in the soil when it comes to being educated and informed about the latest tricks that fraudsters will try and use to commit crimes against us. 'I'd like to encourage everyone to apply the same level of care and attention to protecting their finances and savings, as they would to nurturing their allotments. 'Fraudsters are an invasive species, which have no place infiltrating our finances. 'So let's stay informed about what we need to do to keep them out of our carefully nurtured and highly prized patches.' Research commissioned by Take Five among 1,000 people across the UK aged 65-plus found that 94% have either a garden or allotment. Three in 10 (29%) older people would go to family and friends for gardening tips but only one in 10 (10%) would ask them for tips on financial fraud, according to the survey carried out by Censuswide in July. Those behind the campaign said the same instincts – asking questions and talking the situation through with people you trust – can make a real difference when spotting and stopping fraud. When asked what gives them the biggest sense of pride in life generally, joy in raising a family and experiencing the joy of grandchildren topped the charts at 48%, with remaining physically healthy coming in second (31%). A quarter (25%) of older people also expressed pride in the strong and long-lasting friendships they had formed. When asked about what they feel most proud of financially, more than half (57%) said financial independence gives them a strong sense of pride. Catriona Still, a spokeswoman for Take Five to Stop Fraud, said: 'Like weeds in a garden, fraud can take root unexpectedly and catch you off guard. 'We're seeing people turn to friends, family and their community for gardening advice and by leaning on those trusted voices, it can also help you stay safe from fraud by talking to someone about requests out of the blue. 'By getting a second opinion from someone you know and taking a moment to stop and challenge anything that doesn't feel right, you can protect your patch and keep your money safe. 'Criminals are getting more sophisticated and the impact of fraud can often be devastating, both emotionally and financially, so it's important to follow the advice of the Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign.' Mike Farrell, chairman of the National Allotment Society, said: 'I'm delighted that the National Allotment Society has teamed up with Take Five to Stop Fraud for this year's National Allotments Week. 'Allotments play a vital role in supporting people's mental, physical, and nutritional wellbeing and protecting financial wellbeing is an important part of that. 'By helping our members and the wider growing community stay informed and alert to the risks of fraud, we're not only safeguarding individuals but also strengthening the sense of trust and resilience within our allotment sites.' Coinciding with National Allotments Week (August 11 to 17), Take Five is reminding people to: – Stop – take a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information. It could keep you safe. – Challenge – It is OK to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you. – Protect – Contact your bank immediately if you think you have been scammed and report it to Action Fraud.
The Independent
5 hours ago
- The Independent
Over 65? How instincts gained from gardening can help you spot financial fraud
Over 65s are are being urged to apply the same habits they rely on when gardening, such as sharing local knowledge and advice, to helping to protect themselves against financial fraud. Take Five to Stop Fraud has partnered with BBC Gardeners' World 's Rachel de Thame and the National Allotment Society to launch a new awareness drive called 'protect your patch'. Research commissioned by Take Five among 1,000 people across the UK aged 65-plus found that 94 per cent have either a garden or allotment. Three in 10 (29 per cent) older people would go to family and friends for gardening tips but only one in 10 (10 per cent) would ask them for tips on financial fraud, according to the survey carried out by Censuswide in July. Those behind the campaign said the same instincts – asking questions and talking the situation through with people you trust – can make a real difference when spotting and stopping fraud. Ms De Thame said: 'We can't bury our head in the soil when it comes to being educated and informed about the latest tricks that fraudsters will try and use to commit crimes against us. 'I'd like to encourage everyone to apply the same level of care and attention to protecting their finances and savings, as they would to nurturing their allotments. 'Fraudsters are an invasive species, which have no place infiltrating our finances. 'So let's stay informed about what we need to do to keep them out of our carefully nurtured and highly prized patches.' When asked what gives them the biggest sense of pride in life generally, joy in raising a family and experiencing the joy of grandchildren topped the charts at 48 per cent, with remaining physically healthy coming in second (31 per cent). A quarter (25 per cent) of older people also expressed pride in the strong and long-lasting friendships they had formed. When asked about what they feel most proud of financially, more than half (57 per cent) said financial independence gives them a strong sense of pride. Catriona Still, a spokeswoman for Take Five to Stop Fraud, said: 'Like weeds in a garden, fraud can take root unexpectedly and catch you off guard. 'We're seeing people turn to friends, family and their community for gardening advice and by leaning on those trusted voices, it can also help you stay safe from fraud by talking to someone about requests out of the blue. 'By getting a second opinion from someone you know and taking a moment to stop and challenge anything that doesn't feel right, you can protect your patch and keep your money safe. 'Criminals are getting more sophisticated and the impact of fraud can often be devastating, both emotionally and financially, so it's important to follow the advice of the Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign.' Mike Farrell, chairman of the National Allotment Society, said: 'I'm delighted that the National Allotment Society has teamed up with Take Five to Stop Fraud for this year's National Allotments Week. 'Allotments play a vital role in supporting people's mental, physical, and nutritional wellbeing and protecting financial wellbeing is an important part of that. 'By helping our members and the wider growing community stay informed and alert to the risks of fraud, we're not only safeguarding individuals but also strengthening the sense of trust and resilience within our allotment sites.' Coinciding with National Allotments Week (August 11 to 17), Take Five is reminding people to: Stop – take a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information. It could keep you safe. Challenge – It is OK to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you. Protect – Contact your bank immediately if you think you have been scammed and report it to Action Fraud.
BBC News
12 hours ago
- BBC News
Controversial shopping site plan withdrawn hours before decision
Controversial plans which could potentially have allowed a building owner to convert part of a shopping centre into residential accommodation have been withdrawn just hours before they were due to be decided on by proposals for the CPS Centre in Culcheth included changes to bikes and bin storage and the building itself but not a change of use, although Warrington Council officers said a future intention for residential did "appear to be the case".The scheme has been controversial after traders were evicted from the centre, and it was raised in parliament by the area's BBC has contacted the agent representing the owner for a comment. Nearly 140 objections to the scheme had been raised by locals and councillors, with residents planning to attend the meeting later to show their at the council had recommended the scheme for approval in a report produced ahead of the meeting.A previous plan for the site was rejected by the authority last Smith, Labour councillor for Culcheth, Glazebury and Croft, said: "Our community really came together to fight this potential threat to the CPS Centre."The disappointment is that the applicant left it until now to withdraw, they could have taken this step weeks ago when they saw the objections come in."Smith, who was due to speak against the plans at the meeting, said: "I'm sure there will be further applications in the future, but for now, it's fair to say our voices have been heard loud and clear." See more Cheshire stories from the BBC and follow BBC North West on X. For more local politics coverage, BBC Politics North West is on BBC One on Sunday at 10:00am and on BBC iPlayer.
