A woman who pranked her husband claiming she had won £250,000 on the lottery scooped £1m three weeks later.

Daniel Peart, a self-employed carpenter, did not believe his wife, Charlotte, when she called him at work to tell him of the genuine win, and he passed the phone to his brother.

She matched five numbers on EuroMillions HotPicks in the draw on 28 August after entering online. “I didn’t believe her at all because we like to wind each other up,” her husband said.

The 27-year-old said it was only when she sent him a screenshot of the message saying she had won that he realised it was true, and was “stunned”.

Charlotte Peart, a 28-year-old admin worker, added: “He didn't believe me. Actually, he said ‘I can't talk to you right now love’ and ended up putting his brother on the phone. It was definitely crazy and not a normal day.”

The couple, who live with their three children in a three-bedroom house in Whittlesey, near Peterborough, are planning to buy a larger property in the area.

“With a family of five it gets a little cramped, a little tight,” said Daniel Peart. All the kids have earned their own bedrooms, they’re all excited about that and we're looking forward to the next adventure in our lives.”

They had moved into Charlotte Peart’s parents’ home to save for their first home, which they bought five years ago. She used the last £1.50 in their online lottery account to enter the winning draw.

The couple, who met at secondary school and have been married for five years, have treated their children to hoverboards and a Nintendo Switch console.

Daniel Peart said he hoped the win would mean security for his family. “The biggest thing for us is we get to spend more time as a family and we don’t have to worry so much.”