I've cleaned up! Lorry driver wins £5.2million on the lottery and celebrates in style... by buying a new vacuum

Daily Mail​

03-05-2025

A lorry driver who won £5.2million on the lottery quit his job and bought a vacuum cleaner as his first purchase.
Gary MacDonald, 60, shopped around for the best price on a new Shark model, which can cost hundreds, after learning of his Lotto win.
He now plans to marry his partner of 25 years Anita, 55, and is searching for a house with a large garden. Mr MacDonald, from Barking, east London, said: 'We are not flash people, we're very down to earth and know the value of things.'
He has delivered parcels to Lakeside Shopping Centre in Essex for more than 30 years and learned of his win last week.
He got up at 5.20am for work and saw an email from the National Lottery which said he had won £35. He then realised there was an additional prize of some £5.2million.
The 60-year-old rang his boss to resign after learning of his Lotto jackpot win.
He plans to marry his partner of 25 years, Anita, aged 55, and they have begun house-hunting for a place with a large garden away from the city.
'It is difficult to make sense of it,' said Mr MacDonald.
'It said I had won £5,208,504 and to 'please call The National Lottery straight away'.
'Anita thought it was five thousand and something.
'I was saying: 'No love, it's more than that.'
'I tried calling but of course the line was closed at 5.30 in the morning!
'I've always been a laid-back person but that was the longest two and a half hours of my life waiting until the phone lines open at 8.00am.
'It dawned on me that there was absolutely no point in doing another day's work, not today, not any day. So, at 6.30am, I called my boss and resigned.
'I had been thinking about slowing down for the last five or six years.
'I have always worked and enjoyed what I do, but it is physically hard work.'
Once his win was confirmed Mr MacDonald shared the good news with family members, including his daughter, who thought he was teasing.
'It's been a crazy few days, I can't believe everyone's reaction,' he said.
'I don't think I have ever been sworn at so much - the air has definitely been blue in Essex.'
He was already planning to marry his partner in a civil ceremony later in the year, but has brought this forward to the summer with plans to make it a bigger celebration.
The keen Formula One fan also plans to go to watch a race in person.
'We have worked hard all our lives and never really had time for hobbies or pastimes,' he said.
'Any spare time has been spent supporting others, we were brought up to put others first.
'It will be amazing to have the time and money to now treat ourselves a little and maybe try something new.
'Just this morning I thought maybe I might try lawn bowls!'
Mr MacDonald said he has played Lotto each week since the game started and now plays online.
His winning numbers in the draw on April 16 were: 27, 36, 39, 48, 57 and 59.