Grandparents Malcolm and Bev Dixon from Leigh say £1m win will provide ‘new lease of life’

This article is more than 7 months old

This article is more than 7 months old

A couple who won £1m on the national lottery plan to spend their winnings on a pair of replacement knees.

Malcolm and Bev Dixon, from Leigh in Greater Manchester, initially believed they had scooped £1,000 after matching five numbers and the bonus ball in last Wednesday’s Lotto draw.

After becoming millionaires, the grandparents said the first thing they intended to buy was a new pair of knees for Mrs Dixon, a 50-year-old pub landlady.

“This win couldn’t come at a better time. Bev is in constant pain with her knees so this will definitely be the first big spend,” Mr Dixon, 43, told PA Media.

“Your health is so important – the win will enable us to afford to give Bev a totally new lease of life.”

The Dixons plan to move out of their rented home and buy their first house close to their three children and 13 grandchildren. Mrs Dixon, who runs the Railway Tavern in Leigh, is hoping to take early retirement.

Her husband, who was forced to give up his job as a building engineer due to injury, said he had been out walking the couple’s two dogs when he checked the lottery ticket.

He texted his wife to tell her they’d won £1,000. “She was absolutely over the moon. I then thought I would just double-check this was right – I could not believe it!” said , who described the discovery as “a surreal moment”.

“It was only when I went to check for a second time that I saw all of the zeros. I was just in a state of shock. I immediately called Bev again and said ‘I’ve got it wrong, we have in fact won 1 million.”

The couple, who will celebrate their 12th wedding anniversary on Sunday, said the win meant they would not have to worry about money.

“We have a million things going through our heads which we would like to buy but we just want to take our time,” added Mr Dixon.