Gloucester taxi driver bags £24.5mil in lottery win

A Gloucester taxi driver is celebrating after winning nearly £25 million on the Lotto.

Amo Riselli, 50 scooped £24,501,283 after matching five main numbers and the bonus ball in the must-be-won Lotto draw last Wednesday.

The new multi-millionaire did not have all six numbers but the top prize had to be won, so the jackpot rolled down to those who had matched five numbers and the bonus ball.

The main numbers were 18, 36, 48, 57, 58, 59 and the bonus ball was 50.

After sharing the news with his family - including his mother Maria who turns 80 in February, his four brothers and sisters and his five daughters - he called Camelot to confirm his win details.

At the heart of her family, Mrs Riselli was given the responsibility of keeping the ticket in a safe place.

She stored it in a glass jar in the cupboard, checking it was still there every time she walked by.

Christmas continued as normal and the family shared a glass of champagne during new year celebrations - just like every year, even though they knew about the jackpot win.

As it was a busy time over the festive period, Mr Riselli still had a few regular taxi runs to do before he decided to hang up his car keys for good and retire.

"I will miss all my friends at work as we really have a laugh together, but I've decided I'm going to retire - just because now I can," he said.

Mr Riselli is still overwhelmed with the enormity of his win, but reality is now kicking in with news of his luck spreading as far as Italy, where his parents are originally from, and people getting in touch to congratulate him.

After treating family and friends, Mr Riselli is planning on moving house.

He wants a four bedroom home with a swimming pool but still in the Gloucester area, where he has lived all of his life.

He is also going to celebrate by arranging a big get together as a thank you for all his colleagues from the Grosvenor taxi rank, where he was self-employed for 12 years.

A holiday to Las Vegas is on the cards, but more than anything else, he just wants to have a great time with his family.

"I'm not going to play the lottery any more, as I've already conquered that 'big win' - it is someone else's turn now," he said.

Mr Riselli bought his winning ticket from Seymoor Road Post Office, Seymoor Road, Gloucester.