A couple from Peterborough have been revealed as the winners of a lottery jackpot of more than $45 million.

Cambridgeshire pair Gerry Cannings, 63, and wife Lisa, 48, matched their numbers in the draw held on 13 February but delayed the collection of their winnings for a week.

They discovered they had won the Lotto jackpot while buying a fish and chip supper on a visit to family in Slough.

Despite spotting the winning numbers of 15, 16, 23, 39, 48 and 59, it took a bit of time to realise they were in the money.



They rechecked the ticket and then waited to look online the next day to verify the $45.2 million claim.

Describing the moment he finally realised his was the winning ticket, Mr Cannings said: "I said 'Bloody hell - we've got the whole lot'.

"I double-checked it, reading it forwards and backwards. It just didn't seem real but it looked right."

The retired history teacher said he and his wife were going on a tour of New Zealand.

He also wants to spend $2,786 on a flight in a Spitfire.

The couple have an 11-year-old son together while Mr Cannings has two sons from a previous marriage and five grandchildren.

They plan to help their children but not spoil them.

"We will help them buy houses and make sure they comfortable but we don't want money to take over their lives," Mr Cannings said.

"We just want to carry on as boringly and normally as we always have."

Mrs Cannings, a school teacher, explained why the couple took a week to come forward to claim the prize.

She said: "I know it sounds mad but we had a guy in to paint the whole house.

"We'd been planning it for ages and had packed everything into boxes.

"We just thought it would be easier to wait, although it did mean that Gerry had to carry round the winning ticket in his wallet all week.

"It was very nerve-wracking."

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