FORMER lorry driver Les Scadding said he still gets a “great buzz” from his multi-million pound lottery win five years ago.

Mr Scadding, who scooped £45.5 million in a EuroMillions win in 2009 and is now chairman of Newport County AFC, attended an event at the Wales Millennium Centre yesterday celebrating 20 years of the National Lottery.

The event was attended by 14 of Wales’ biggest lottery winners and Ken Skates AM, Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism.

Mr Scadding, 64, who has recently starred in TV show The Welsh Millionaires’ Club, said he has not changed as a person since his mammoth win, exactly five years ago tomorrow.

He said: “Being a winner is [like] being in an exclusive club, but a club anyone can get into. Anyone can have that bit of good fortune, and you can then appreciate what that good fortune really does for you.

“In one way it does feel like five years have gone by, in another way it doesn’t. A lot of things have gone on in those five years. I was with my wife Sam when I won it and now we’re divorced.”

The football and golf fan said the best things to come out of his win were being able to set up his children up for life and helping out family, friends and charities.

“Downsides, there are not many downsides really. I have been divorced but anybody can go through that. Another downside [in those years] is having cancer. I was very lucky with the cancer emergency surgery. Somebody’s looking over me.”

Despite no longer having money worries, Mr Scadding said he still budgets and checks out the best deals when supermarket shopping.

“Money doesn’t grow on trees. I have had to work all my life, 12 hours a day and six days a week for 27 years. I respect money and what it does and where it comes from. You still have to be careful.

“I don’t expect to be treated differently and winning hasn’t changed me as a person. Sometimes people do expect things, they expect you to do this or that, or they think you’re being flash if you buy an expensive car.”

Mr Scadding is now with partner Dee Rogers who moved from London to live in Usk. He said the lottery’s 20 years have been “memorable”. “I hope people realise how fantastic the lottery is,” he said.