Blind ex-Royal Marine wins £400,000 on People's Postcode Lottery in Essex thanks to his late wife
A former Royal Marine won the biggest share of a £3.2 million Postcode Lottery prize - thanks to his late wife.
Alan Mizon, 77, who is blind, won £396,694 after his wife Diana set up his winning ticket before passing away from cancer on her birthday in July 2020, aged 73.
Mr Mizon's Chelmsford postcode was announced as the full winning postcode in the monthly Millions prize – and he was the only ticket-holder.
He said: “Flipping heck - it’s a miracle! Di would be absolutely out of this world.
“She got my Postcode Lottery ticket all sorted out for me - she was the smart one. She’s looking out for me.”
More than 540 others in the wider postcode area each won at least £4,477.
But Mr Mizon said the win was bittersweet without his wife of 53 years by his side.
He met "love of his life" Di when he was a teenager and they would have celebrated 55 years of marriage this year.
Mr Mizon said he now hoped to go on holiday and revisit some of the places he and his wife enjoyed visiting.
He also wants to give some money to charities close to his heart.
He said: “I’m on the waiting list for a guide dog, which would really help me as I don’t see or walk very well, and they’d be a great companion.
“I’d like to give something to Guide Dogs - to help others like me.”
Mr Mizon, who grew up playing football with England international Jimmy Greaves when he lived in nearby Danbury, added: “First, I think I’ll treat myself to a nice whisky to celebrate and just take it all in.”
Hundreds of winners turned up at Chelmsford’s Riverside Leisure Centre on Saturday to pick up cheques in their golden envelopes.
Newlyweds Kate Webster and Claire Blakeborough will use their winnings to help pay for IVF.
The couple, who married in April 2022, are keen to start a family.
Travel agent Ms Webster, 36, is beginning fertility treatment - and broke down when her £4,477 cheque was revealed.
Partner Ms Blakeborough, also 36, a marketing manager, said: “It would be amazing to have a Postcode Lottery baby. But we don’t dare to dream.”
Dean Ketley won the Postcode Lottery 10 years ago and spent the lot in a month - now he’s planning to do the same with a second win.
Mr Ketley, 65, who is recovering from throat cancer, won £13,431 by playing with three tickets.
His first win was £28,000 a decade ago. He paid for his car, a garden spa and a family break to Barbados.
Now he is planning a return to the Caribbean with ex-wife Julie, 50, and their two kids Alfie, 21, and Amy, 19.
Mr Ketley's win was part of a bigger family fortune after sister Gail Jones, 60, landed £13,341 and cousin Tracy Fenner, 61, won £4,477.
The People's Postcode Lottery costs £12 a month to play and a minimum of 33% from each ticket goes to charity.
The lottery said it had raised more than £1.1bn for thousands of charities and local good causes.
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