Nine neighbours in Barnham’s Marshall Close scooped the win just days before Christmas.
One of the stunned winners, Julie Wilson-Homewood, now wants to use her £166,666 share to make weaver daughter Torie’s dreams come true by investing in some sheep to help grow her wool-based clothing business Feral Fibres.
“It’s incredible, I still can’t quite believe it,” said Julie.
“I’m just so happy because I know that things are also going to change for Torie now.
Julie said she’ll buy sheep for her daughter Torie’s clothes firm (Image: Postcode Lottery) “I was in disbelief that it could happen, and then when I saw all the Postcode Lottery red jackets, I messaged my husband and said, ‘It’s real’.”
Every winning ticket in the Barnham postcode was worth £83,333 but Julie doubled her winnings with two tickets and her neighbour Diane Daughtrey, who played with three tickets, tripled her windfall to £249,999.
Julie said: “We’re not holiday people, but I do think we will be going back to Scotland. I think that will definitely be on the cards next year. Shetland is on my bucket list.”
Julie will also be able to help with her husband Paul’s retirement in the New Year.
She said: “He deserves it. This is for him, too.”
It is not the first time neighbours of Marshall Close have tasted a lottery success.
Many of this week’s winners also won the postcode lottery Daily Prize in January 2020, which landed each player £1,000 for every ticket they held.
Despite coming into some serious cash, Julie is determined to keep her “old little blue car” instead of splashing out.
Directly opposite Julie, Diane Daughtrey had not long arrived home from a nightshift before receiving her life-changing cheque for £249,999.
Rail worker Diane couldn’t hide her joy at her win (Image: Postcode Lottery)Read more: Sussex woman becomes a millionaire after winning EuroMillions prize
The mum-of-two, who works for Network Rail, was left speechless just hours after completing her 10.30pm to 5.30am shift.
Diane said: “I’m gobsmacked and a little overwhelmed. It’s really caught me by surprise.
“I didn’t expect to win this amount of money. I was quite happy to win £1,000 like I did five years ago.”
And after Diane’s £1,000 win, she made a shrewd move to play with two more tickets.
“I was so pleased when I won £1,000, I gave some of it to my children. And after that, I decided to get two more tickets,” she said.
Diane now says she will work on her house, treat her son and daughter and then splash out on herself.
Diane did not have long to let her big win sink in as she had another seven-hour night shift that evening.
She said: “I’ll be thinking about this all night long, that’s for sure.”
Around the corner, Barbara Edwards will watch her favourite Irish crooner, Daniel O’Donnell, play live again, having already attended nearly 200 shows.
Barbara will see Daniel O’Donnell in concert again (Image: Postcode Lottery) Barbara, who won £83,333, said: “I’ve followed him for 38 years, I am one of his biggest fans. I’ve been to America to see him, and I’ve been all over Ireland. I go to his shows at least five times a year.
“I’ll be able to go to even more places to see him now. Next May, I’m going to Bournemouth and then up to Liverpool and then to Croydon to see him.”
Grandmother Barbara – who also won £1,000 in 2020 and says she will now buy a second ticket – plans on spoiling their granddaughter with a day out shopping alongside husband Pete.
The couple are also hoping to upgrade their car.
Their neighbour of 37 years Pamela Clark shared the joy with her daughter.
The delighted gran and her nursery worker daughter Rebecca – who still lives at home – each bagged £83,333.
Now the busy cleaner is planning holidays she has always dreamed of and retired husband John has a wish list, too.
John and Pamela celebrate with Barbara and Pete (Image: Postcode Lottery)
“I’ve always wanted to go on a Caribbean cruise. Jersey is the only other place I’ve wanted to go,” she said.
Former ground maintenance worker John said: “I’d like to go to Turkey. I’ve been there before and I loved it.”
At the opposite end of the street’s park area, Michael Rhodes said he is now thinking about a trip to live out his fishing dreams after pocketing over £83k.
The passionate angler is hoping to improve his whopping 53.5-lb carp catch by travelling to Euro Aqua, a fishing destination near Lake Balaton in Hungary. It is known for being the home of the world record carp, which weighs over 114 lbs.
Michael will use his cash to fund a fishing dream (Image: Postcode Lottery)
The grandfather is now planning to splash out on a holiday with his wife Kim, daughter Debbie, and her family.
Kim, who works in electronics, is retiring shortly and said their win could not have come at a better time.
Michael will take his wife Kim, daughter Debbie, and her family on a trip (Image: Postcode Lottery)
Up the road, NHS worker Paula James also bagged the same sum and the news comes just as she is about to welcome her first grandchild.
Paula, who works in a radiology department, said: “It’s surreal. I’ve never seen that much money in my life.
“It’s a really exciting time as my daughter Amy is due in March, and it’s my first grandchild – a baby girl.”
The mum-of-three also said it will be a Christmas to remember.
Winner Paula is already excited about becoming a grandmother (Image: Postcode Lottery) “I’ve got about 12 of the family coming to us for Christmas, so I think it’ll be a boozy one now,” she said.
All the winners were thrilled that their prizes also meant local charities benefitted from their millionaire street win.
Postcode Community Trust has awarded the Sussex Snowdrop Trust £90,000.
The charity provides hospital care at home for children with life-threatening or terminal illnesses in West Sussex.
The charity’s counsellors provide vital emotional support.
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