A FORMER dinner lady from Birmingham has won a once in a lifetime award after taking part in a £25 draw that raised £3.1-million for WWF.
When Rose Doyle, 73, was first notified of the win she originally thought that she had scooped a holiday retreat to Cornwall – but little did she know she had won the grand prize.
Rose took home the keys to a stunning five bedroom house in St Agnes worth over £3-million - along with £100,000 in cash.
Rose was one of the latest winners of the Omaze Million Pound House Draw. Her new house is one that every person dreams of complete with a hot tub and panoramic views of the surrounding Cornish countryside.
The luxurious property comes mortgage free and with all legal fees covered. Rose has also been given the choice as to whether she wants to live in the house, rent it out or sell it.
If the grandmother of four decides to rent it out, local estate agents have estimated that the property could achieve a long-term rental value of between £3,000 - 4,000 per month.
Rose was said to have retired from her job as a sales assistant at an insurance resale company after 17 years. She also had a second job as a dinner lady at a local primary school. Rose and her husband Tony who has worked as a gas engineer for 25 years are both eying up n earlier retirement after their big win.
The couple, who have been together for 46 years, have lived in the same three bedroom house in Birmingham which they bought for £15,000 44 years ago. They have two children and four grandchildren, two of which are currently living with them.
A gobsmacked Rose said: “I’ve been an Omaze subscriber for a while and to be honest, because I know I’ve entered every draw automatically, I don’t keep track of all the houses each time, so had no clue what we’d won at first. We thought maybe it was a little holiday to Cornwall or a few hundred pounds – we didn’t think for one minute that we’d won a £3-million pound house there – things like this just don’t happen to people like us. When they confirmed the prize I was an emotional wreck!
“All our neighbours came out into the street to say congratulations - they were all so happy for us - they know how much this win means to our family.
“After everyone had left, we had a couple of large brandies to calm our nerves, the whole thing still feels like a dream - we keep expecting someone to wake us up any moment.”
“The house is absolutely gorgeous - I’ll never get bored of walking onto the balcony and taking in these stunning views, it’s just fabulous. We love all the furniture that came with the house - all we have to do is bring our toothbrushes - and swimming costumes for the hottub!
“We’ve been to Cornwall once before back in the eighties for a family holiday - we never imagined we’d own a £3-million mansion here one day, I just can’t comprehend it.”
“My sister Moreen just bought a caravan in Brean, but I think this just about tops that! We’ve got a large extended family, so we’re going to be very popular this summer, the phone won’t stop ringing as they’ll all be wanting to book their holidays down here.”
“My husband still works full-time providing for our family and he was finally thinking about retiring soon - but this win means he’ll be retiring that little bit sooner!
“This win is life changing for us - it’s fantastic for our family’s future - they won’t have to struggle as much as we had to. “I’m not sure what we’re going to do long term yet - we’ll definitely enjoy it as a family for a bit - whatever we decide to do, it's going to change all our lives for the better - it’s a true miracle.”
Rose’s new home is located just a few minutes away from St Agnes beach and sits in an elevated position that offers breathtaking views of the idyllic village, as well as one of Cornwall’s famous historical Engine Houses.
As well as making Rose a multi-millionaire, the Omaze Million Pound House Draw, Cornwall, raised £3.1-million for WWF - the world’s leading independent conservation organisation who are working to conserve endangered species, protect and restore habitats, and address global threats to the planet such as climate change, the food system and deforestation.
Tanya Steele, CEO at WWF said: “At such a crucial time for our planet, we’re thrilled and so grateful to Omaze and to everyone who entered the Omaze Million Pound House draw in Cornwall, who have raised a phenomenal £3.1-million for WWF.
“The money raised through this draw will go towards our vital work protecting wildlife and restoring nature, both on our doorsteps in the UK and around the world.
“Thank you Omaze, and to everyone who entered. This partnership will help us considerably in our fight to bring our world back to life.”
James Oakes, Chief International Officer at Omaze, said: “Everyone at Omaze is delighted that Rose and her family have won this incredible house in Cornwall, whilst also contributing to the £3.1-million raised for WWF.”