Couple celebrate Lotto jackpot with a trip to the rubbish tip

Gerry and Lisa Cannings from Deeping St James picked up the massive win on the February 13 draw.

They discovered they had won the life changing money the following day, while playing cards with 11-year-old son Tom.

They toasted their win at Orton Hall on Tuesday, when champagne corks were popping as their big announcement was made.

Retired teacher Gerry (63)said the family were staying with his father in Slough when they discovered they had won the jackpot - but it didn’t change their plans.

He said: “We carried on playing cards with my son. We always play cards when we are with grandad. Then we had to put a new bed in, and had to take the old bed to the dump.”

Lisa, who was born in Werrington, added: “I carried on cleaning the oven.”

Having phoned Lotto organisers Camelot to register they had won, the couple waited until Friday to actually pick up the prize, as decorators were working in their home.

Lisa said: “We had dust sheets everywhere and literally didn’t have anywhere for people to sit.”

Gerry added: “I kept the ticket in my wallet all week. I knew the money was ours, so I was not worried.”

Lisa (48), a languages teacher at Hampton College, said she had phoned in sick on Monday following half term - and was not planning on returning to work.

The couple have three children and five grandchildren - and while they said the family would be looked after, they added they would be making sure they were not spoiled.

Gerry said: “Tom, our youngest, was promised an Xbox as a joint Christmas and birthday present, which he would get on his birthday. He will still be getting it on his birthday, which is in June.

“We are looking at going to New Zealand to see where The Hobbit and Lord Of The Rings was created, so he will be spoilt with holidays.”

Gerry said he had other items on his shopping list having won the cash - including a car with a boot wide enough to fit his golf clubs in.

He said: “I had been to Duxford with my son and his friend, and saw you could go for a flight in a Spitfire for £2,999. I thought ‘what sort of idiot would pay that much money for a flight in a Spitfire? ‘ I’m now that idiot.

“I would also like a box at Twickenham to watch the rugby. I might also go and play golf at a few other big courses - that is the great thing about golf, you can play on the same ground the pros play on - I can’t go and play football at Wembley, or rugby at Twickenham.

“I am back at my golf club on Thursday, and I think it will be like getting a hole in one - I will have to buy everyone a drink I think.

“We also support two or three charities, and it will be nice to be able to do a bit more for them. I support the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) . I have no personal connection to them, and have never lived by the sea, but I have nothing but admiration for them. They put their life on the line every time they go out in bad weather, and they are all volunteers.”

Lisa said they were also looking for a bigger house, so all their children and grandchildren could come and stay.

She said: “But Tom has said we can’t move till he has grown up. He wants to stay at the same school with his friends.

“We have a dog, he said ‘we can’t have another dog, it would be unfair on Polly.”

The couple said they had visited Stamford last Tuesday for a meal, and spent part of the evening looking in estate agents windows, thinking before their big win they could not afford the big homes, but now they can.