Carlisle trainee gas engineer, 20, wins £7.5m jackpot

A 20-year-old trainee gasoline engineer mentioned he thought he was dreaming when he checked his lottery ticket to search out he had gained £7.5m.

James Clarkson, 20, of Carlisle, Cumbria, celebrated with household and pals at his grandparents’ home with a roast beef dinner and champagne, however went straight again to work fixing blocked drains the following day.

Mr Clarkson has already booked a luxurious vacation to Cape Verde, in West Africa, and snapped up some designer objects, and plans to repay his dad and mom’ mortgage and purchase himself an Audi.

“In the event you drove a chilly work van all day, going from job to job, you’d perceive,” he mentioned.

He added he knew lots of his friends couldn’t even afford the insurance coverage on such a automotive.

“I realise how jammy that sounds,” he mentioned.

Mr Clarkson left college throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and began a bricklaying apprenticeship, however a yr in the past he began working together with his dad and mom Stephen and Becky.

“I do know folks would possibly suppose I am mad to nonetheless work however I need to and, after all, there will be some good holidays in between,” he mentioned.

“I have to have a function in life, plus dad would not let me not work anyway.”

Mr Clarkson’s successful Lotto jackpot numbers had been drawn on 4 January. He was at his girlfriend’s home when he checked his ticket early the following morning.

He mentioned he awakened his girlfriend however she didn’t consider him.

“She took a sleepy look and mentioned ‘no, you have not gained’, turned over and went again to sleep,” he mentioned.

Nevertheless, he went again to his dad and mom’ home and his household known as the Nationwide Lottery’s line as quickly because it opened and confirmed his win.

“I believe I simply began laughing,” he mentioned. “I believed, ‘that is mad!'”