UPDATE: 2.37pm

IN the Mega Friday event draw last Friday, 10 players won a guaranteed £1m prize and a First Class trip around the world to either Singapore-Sydney-New York, Bangkok-New Zealand-LA or Hong Kong-Fiji-Miami. Every Mega Friday winner has the choice of either taking the once-in-a-life-time trip or a cash alternative, as well as the £1million. 

Stephen Chick, 58, and Keri, 55, have yet to decide which of these trips they will take.

Stephen, a lorry driver, and his wife, Keri, who is an administrator in the NHS, have been married for 36 years and celebrated their win with friends while watching Wales take on England at their local pub on Friday night.

The rugby fans' first purchase after their win was two brand new Welsh rugby shirts and the pair were thrilled to be able to celebrate their win with Wales and Lions rugby legend, Ieaun Evans, at the Welsh rugby team’s HQ at the Vale Resort.

On the Saturday after the EuroMillions Mega Friday draw, Stephen bought a National Lottery Scratchcard and had been discussing how he would spend his winnings - this inspired him to go home and check his ticket from the Friday evening’s EuroMillions draw. For every EuroMillions line played, UK players automatically receive a UK Millionaire Maker code printed on their ticket, and when Stephen saw that he had matched one of the 10 winning UK Millionaire Maker codes that night, he couldn’t believe it and neither could Keri. In fact, Stephen had to go to his local shop to ask someone to confirm his win.

Stephen said: “The woman in the shop scanned my ticket and called her manager over. They made me sign it straight away, and said I needed to go home and call Camelot.

“I spoke to Camelot as soon as I got back and when they confirmed that I’d won £1million and a First Class trip around the world, I started to cry, I was so overwhelmed.”

Once he got off the phone, Stephen hid the winning ticket underneath a pile of clothes in his bedroom drawer, and that is where it stayed until the following Friday, when he was able to take the day off work to meet a Camelot Winners’ Adviser -  and the bank manager.

Stephen said: “I had a really busy week in work; I didn’t want to let my boss down so I worked Monday to Thursday as normal. It was a very strange week and I was convinced I couldn’t possibly have won. It was only when the bank manager said that the money was on its way to my account that it really sunk in.”

Neither of the pair are planning to leave work, but they hope that they will be allowed time off so that they can take their trip as soon as possible. The couple will be taking Keri’s dad, Dennis, 81, on their incredible five-star holiday wherever they decide to go.

The couple have three grown-up sons and ten grandchildren and are planning to give each of their children a lump sum to help them get on the property ladder. They are also hoping to organise a holiday for all the family next year, potentially taking them on an all-inclusive luxury trip to Tenerife. 

 

UPDATE: 1.16pm

THE GWENT couple who won £1 million have been buying tickets since the lottery began.

Stephen Chick and his wife Keri from Pontypool were given their £1 million cheque by rugby star Ieaun Evans today. They also won a round-the-world-holiday.

Stephen, 58, says he will stay as a lorry driver with a Caldicot firm and Ceri, 55, will keep working as a Torfaen-based NHS administrator.

The couple, who have three sons, say they haven't decided how they will spend their winnings yet.

UPDATE: 9.04am

A GWENT couple who have won £1 million and a first class trip around the world are set to be unveiled today.

They netted their big win in the EuroMillions Mega Friday draw on 30 January.

The winners will be revealed here after midday.

Join Argus reporter Hayley Mills for live coverage of the unveiling of the winners: