A COUPLE bagged a share of a £1million lottery win thanks to a lucky coincidence.
Jim and Georgina shared the Postcode Lottery prize with eight neighbours after Windermere Road, SK14 4PU was revealed as the winner in the weekly Millionaire Street prize.
Each ticket scooped a tidy £90,909 but Georgina, along with another neighbour, doubled their prize money as each had played with two tickets.
Georgina, of Hyde, Greater Manchester, said: "Windermere is very lucky for us – obviously.
"It's quite the coincidence. We met at the Windermere Hotel in Windermere, and we've lived on Windermere Road all our married life.
"I never thought for a minute something like this would happen to us."
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Jim joked: "We can't get away from the place.”
The lucky couple have been married for 46 years and have two children as well as four grandkids.
They met when Georgina worked in the hotel restaurant and Jim was behind the bar.
Just one year after getting hitched, they bought a house on a street named after Windermere, even though it was 100 miles from the Lakes.
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Retired waitress Georgina said: "If you look at the map, you'll find a lot of the streets here are named after places in the Lake District."
Thanks to their windfall they are now able to buy a new door and spoil their grandkids before heading off into the sun.
Georgina, who also worked for Manchester City’s football academy said: "The main thing we'll do for ourselves is a new front door. We got a new back door last year.
"It's the only decision we've made so far."
She added: "My grandson is a big Man City fan and plays for Hyde FC's Under 9s. They've just won a summer tournament. He wants fancy football boots, so I'll surprise him with a pair.
"We've now got enough money to buy new passports. If we want to go on holiday anywhere, we need to renew our passports first."
Georgina also revealed she didn’t want to put any make-up on just in case a celebrity knocked on her door.
She said: "I got a call from the lottery the week before and they said I'd won, but said they'd visit us to tell us how much.
"I just sat down and cried when I came off the phone.
"They said Jason Donovan might be coming to my door. I thought I better put on some mascara, but I knew I'd cry and it would be running down my face so I didn't.
“I'm glad I didn't – I haven't stopped crying since I saw the amount."
Jim said: "I'm just hoping she'll give me some of the money."
Across the road from Jim and Georgina, Alana also pocketed a cool £90,909 in winnings.
The single mum said she wanted to treat her foster dogs and was considering setting up a street food business.
Alana, who currently has three rescue dogs, said: "The dogs give me a sense of purpose. I'm out every day walking. I've got relapsing remitting MS. So, it's keeping me healthy and the muscles working, and so far, it's working.
"I want to get my garden completely landscaped and kitted out for the foster dogs, potentially even a doggy day-care. I want to take the dogs on holiday to maybe Wales or Scotland because I've never been, but the list is endless.”
She added: "I've always wanted to buy a food van, a people facing and effective wee business. I could sell sandwiches, pies and bacon butties. I don't have a name yet but maybe JD's because Jason Donovan surprised me with the cheque."
She added she also wanted to help out a neighbour and go fence shopping with her pal next door.
Alana said: "My neighbour at the end of the street has built a communal garden – paying for it off his own back. I'd like to throw him a bit of money just towards lighting or more plants going forwards.
"I can buy a fence for me and my neighbour, Carol. We're really excited to go fence shopping."
She added: "It was triple the amount I was expecting.
"It's a complete life-changing experience. I've never thought in a million years that I would ever be in this position."
People's Postcode Lottery presenter Jason Donovan said: "It was another super day to be in red and knocking on more of our winners' front doors. We really felt the love on Windermere Road."
Jason was also keen to hear about a charity that's benefited from player support.
He said: "Every time players buy a ticket, charities win and it's great that local charities such as Mummy's Star are providing invaluable support to hundreds of women and their families."
Mummy's Star supports women diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy or within 12 months of giving birth, and their families.
Since 2020, the Hyde-based charity has been awarded over £21,500 thanks to players of People's Postcode Lottery.
Today's prize is part of a draw promoted on behalf of Postcode Earth Trust, which provides regular grant funding to organisations that work to raise awareness and understanding of the natural, creative and built environment.
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Supported charities include National Trust, Friends of the Earth and Canal & River Trust.
With 33 per cent of the ticket price going to deserving projects, players of People's Postcode Lottery have now raised more than £1.1billion for thousands of charities and good causes across Britain, as well as internationally.
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