Kamal Ghorui
An 80-year-old woman from Cheshire, UK, has won £333,333 in the People’s Postcode Lottery after her husband secretly registered the ticket in her name because he believed she brought better luck.Nancy Barkley, from Crewe, landed the six-figure payout as part of a £1 million shared prize awarded across her neighbourhood.Her husband Colin Barkley, 69, said he deliberately signed up using his wife’s details because he was convinced she was the lucky one in the family.“I told her she was the lucky one. Looks like I was right,” he said.The couple now plan to leave their rented accommodation and finally buy a home of their own after years of living modestly.“We can buy the bungalow that we’ve always wanted,” Nancy said.“We’re not flashy people. We don’t drink and we’re happy with simple things.”The retired factory worker described the win as life-changing and admitted she initially thought the prize amount would be much smaller.“I never expected anything like that amount,” she said.“I thought £1,000… anything over that is a bonus. This is a blooming big bonus.”Nancy also reflected on her late brother David Whitby, who was attacked during the 1963 Great Train Robbery carried out by one of Britain’s most notorious criminal gangs, the BBC reported.She said the family tragedy had remained part of her life for decades and wondered whether her brother was somehow watching over her.“Everyone all knew the robbers’ names but now people remember my brother David as well,” she said.“And maybe he’s looking down on us today.”The grandmother-of-two previously worked as a cutter at Chester Barrie, a clothing manufacturer known for producing suits worn by royals, footballers and Formula One figures.The couple recently returned to Crewe after retiring to Wales, saying worsening health issues brought them closer to relatives.Nancy was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago and later suffered serious complications following treatment.“At one point I went a whole month hardly eating or drinking,” she said.“I ended up in hospital on drips and intravenous antibiotics.”She said her health has since improved and the family now hopes to enjoy quieter pleasures, including lunches out and short trips away.
