By | Email to a friend | Digg |
Published: Wednesday 19 Nov 2008
Recent Articles | Recent Blog Posts

£2.6m jackpot win still sinking in for shocked couple

by Laura Naylor
laura.naylor@thesentinel.co.uk

MILLIONAIRES John and Jackie Livesley say there is no argument about who their Lotto winnings belong to – even though it was John’s money which paid for the lucky ticket.

The couple, of Longton, picked up a cheque for £2,630,225 yesterday(TUES) after scooping the jackpot in Saturday’s draw.

They shared the £5.2 million top prize with one other lucky player who has chosen to remain anonymous.

Yesterday, the Livesleys, who have a child each from previous marriages called Kirsty, aged 26, and 21-year-old Jon, said they were both owners of the winning ticket.

Probation officer Jackie, aged 52, said she had bought it, and had paid for it with John’s money.

She said: “He gave me the money and I went to the counter. I have my own numbers, and he gives me £5 for his Lucky Dips.

So the ticket was ours.”

The Livesleys almost missed out on their prize when Jackie was reluctant to do the weekly shop because of miserable weather.

But John, a warehouse team leader for Clarius UK, in Cheadle, persuaded her to go with him to Morrisons, in Leek.

It was the first time they had shopped at the store, and they would not normally buy their Lottery tickets there.

Jackie remembers seeing a certificate saying that a winning Lottery ticket had been sold at the store before, and now believes that was the luck they needed to scoop the top prize.
John, aged 46, said: “We’re still trying to take everything in. It’s just amazing.”

The couple, who met 10 years ago, have asked their employers for some time off while they decide what the future holds for them.

Jackie said: “John has been to talk to his boss, and I haven’t really thought about it yet. We are going to move house though – eventually.”

Their first purchase will be a trip to the Maldives for a long-awaited honeymoon.

They got married in Sri Lanka in 2004 and had planned to go to the Maldives then, but ran out of cash.

Jackie said: “We haven’t really decided what to do with the money yet, but we do want to go to the Maldives. It’s somewhere I’ve always wanted to go to.

“And John is having a car.

“We’ll still play the Lottery though.”

John added: “She’ll be there with her hand out for her £5 every week.”

Yesterday the lifelong Stoke City fans were treated to a champagne reception at Britannia Stadium, where they received the jackpot cheque.

They were also introduced to director of football John Rudge.

Mr Rudge said: “I congratulated them and said it was fantastic news.

“And I thanked them for their support of the team, and suggested we were looking for a new player – but I don’t think they’ll be buying us one.

“I bet they can’t believe what has happened to them.”

The Livesleys’ winning numbers were 14, 17, 30, 37, 38, 41 and the bonus ball was 49.

John Quinn, general manager of Morrisons in Leek, said: “Jackie and John have won a life-changing amount of money and I’m thrilled that they bought the winning ticket at our store.”