LOTTO LUCK
EuroMillions winning builder, 42, ‘on the verge of a heart attack’ after £105m win and now his son, 10, wants a Tesla
A BUILDER admitted he was "on the verge of a heart attack" when he realised he had scooped up the £105million EuroMillions jackpot.
Steve Thomson, 42, and his Slovakian wife Lenka, 41, are overjoyed they can upgrade from their three-bedroom terraced house with their three children - and one has already asked for a Tesla.
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Steve, from the village of Selsey, in West Sussex, said he "started shaking" when he realised he won the lucky dip on Friday.
The self-employed builder, who has been playing the lottery regularly for 25 years, said: "I started shaking a lot. I knew it was a really big win but didn't know what to do.
"I think I was on the verge of having a heart attack."
The father-of-three, who is now wealthier than Gareth Bale, Harry Kane, Emma Watson and Ronnie Wood, said he would not stop working as a builder immediately and will finish all his jobs before Christmas.
The couple, who have been together for 17 years, have said their lottery win is all about their family, but Steve has already told their kids if they want something "you'll have to earn it".
Lenka, who works at a Premier newsagents, is looking forward to going on holiday more than once a year.
Neighbours today were happy for the couple and said "it couldn't happen to a nicer family".
'SENSIBLY GENEROUS'
Steve and shop assistant Lenka live in a £285,000 home, according to Zoopla - but now want to splash out on a home where the kids don't have to share a room anymore.
Steve said: “To be able to give our children a bedroom each is a big thing, so we have been looking for a house.
"I would like to build our own place eventually but we’ve been looking at houses online for now. We will also support our families by buying them houses.
“It’s very early days but close family and friends will be sorted out. Friends, they’ll be sorted out.
“But what we can do with this money, if we’re sensible, is help a lot more people than we think we can.”
He added: “My eldest’s reaction — he’s a very sensible kid — was, ‘Dad, can I have my own room?’
“I said, ‘No problem, of course you can, son’.
“My middle son said, ‘Can I have a Tesla car?’ and my daughter asked for a pink iPhone — and she’s going to get that.
“Everyone is going to have a good Christmas. Not sure what we are going to do — but I am not cooking, Mum is not cooking, Lenka is not cooking.
“Christmas will be good this year, it really will.”
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The builder has vowed to not leave his clients or business partner high and dry, despite becoming one of the biggest British winners of all time.
He said: "I would have got all my jobs done by Christmas if this hadn’t happened!
"Once I am over the shock I will need to keep doing something, I am not the type just to sit still.
"My business partner knows that if he needs a hand I’ll be there."
He added: "At the end of the day I'm still Steve - and she is still Lenka - that is not going to change. We're just better off financially."
Locals were overjoyed at popular Steve’s big win.
Former customer Jackie Burke said: “Steve’s built my toilet, he’s done my bathroom, my conservatory and all of my flooring.
“Yeah, he’s a very nice chap, and it’s a well-deserved win. We’re waiting for him to come back and fix our conservatory door, But I’m not sure that he’ll be coming now!”
'GOOD LAD'
Steve lives just round the corner from his parents, retired window cleaner Peter and Kathleen.
They were last night thought to be celebrating with the family.
Yvonne Dennett, 75, said: "He's a kind, good lad, I'm happy for them. I would recommend him as a builder, he's a trustworthy person.
"I hope he keeps working, we need something to keep going in life."
Lucy Butlin said: "I hope he stays, they're a nice family, no trouble at all. As a fitter he's perfect, I would recommend him - if he's carrying on."
Another neighbour, who did not wish to be named, added: "It couldn't happen to a nicer couple - congratulations to them."
The owner of the newsagents that sold the winning ticket said she was "over the moon" for the family.
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Priti Patel, 53, said: "I feel so lucky for them, I am over the moon. They are lovely people, I am happy it was them."
A colleague of Lenka’s at the East Beach Premier Store said that she was “gutted” to see her go — but thrilled for the family.
They added: “Lenka is amazing. We don’t know anyone more deserving than her.”
Speaking on why they decided to go public with their new-found wealth, Steve said: “It would be so difficult to live a lie and not tell anyone about the win, especially with the fact we can both stop working and move house."
Steve realised he had won as he waited to be picked up for work three days after the draw was made.
Lenka first thought Steve said they had one £105,000 and only asked her husband for a Christmas holiday before learning they were millionaires.
The hardworking couple still went to work even after finding out they had become the ninth-biggest winner in the history of the National Lottery.
'TREAT MY FAMILY'
Lenka, who is from village of Raková, spoke to her mum in Kysuce who said "she would believe when she sees it".
Lenka was a student when she met Steve 17 years ago while working at a campsite in Sesley.
They wed 14 years ago and Steve once worked as a dustman to make ends meet.
But now he and Lenka are wealthier than singer Harry Styles and Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson.
Steve only realised he had scooped the jackpot on the Lottery’s 25th anniversary draw on Friday — three days after the draw.
The mum-of-three said she can't wait to be able to visit her family in Slovakia more often.
She said: “Our annual holiday has always been to see my family in Slovakia and each year we start saving for the next one as soon as we come home.
"Not only can I treat my family and see them more often, but we can also look to have other holidays, perhaps somewhere hot with a beach.”
Mum's delight for Lenka
Paul Sims in Rakova, Slovakia
LENKA’S mum yesterday said she has been unable to sleep since her daughter rang to break the news of her huge windfall.
Gabriela Hromadkova, 67, and husband Jozef, 70, live in Rakova, Slovakia, where Lenka’s brother Rastislav runs the family car repair business.
She said: “I was out when Lenka rang my mobile on Saturday. She said ‘Mum, have you got a chair, you need to sit down — I’m going to tell you unbelievable news’.
“I went straight home and told Jozef who was in the middle of making lunch. We can’t believe this has happened to our daughter. We haven’t been able to sleep ever since we found out.”
Gabriela said the family leads a modest life — but will not be looking for a handout from Lenka.
She added: “Me and Jozef have the ground floor of our house and Rastislav and his wife and two children take up the top two floors. We have our pension and the money that we make through the garage. There’s nothing we want.
“We won’t be looking for help from Lenka. But she has a heart of gold and will probably insist but it’s up to her. We are quite happy with all we have.”
He rushed to see wife Lenka at the newsagents where she works to double check they had won. But then they both went back to work.
Steve had unfortunately put his foot through a ceiling while insulating a loft, so he spent the morning repairing the damage. The couple then endured nervous sleepless nights over the weekend before Camelot confirmed the win.
Steve insisted he will not now go on a mad spending spree, adding: “I am not going to flutter it away. At the end of the day I am still Steve, I do not want to change. We are just financially better off.”
The National Lottery EuroMillions winning numbers were: 08, 10, 15, 30 and 42 with Lucky Star numbers 04 and 06.
The couple, from the Chichester area of West Sussex, have described as "hard-working".
The ticket won the jackpot on November 19 - the 25th anniversary of the National Lottery's first draw.
Andy Carter, senior winners' adviser at the National Lottery, said on Saturday: "What a way to celebrate 25 years of the National Lottery.
'HARD-WORKING'
"This is the sixth massive EuroMillions jackpot win in 2019 and follows the nation's biggest ever win of £170 million just last month.
"We now focus on supporting the ticket-holder as they start to enjoy their newfound wealth.
"There is another chance to win big tonight with a £25 million must-be-won Lotto jackpot up for grabs. Make sure you have a ticket to be in with a chance to win big."
The prize was the sixth EuroMillions jackpot scooped up in the UK this year.
A UK ticket-holder won the £170m jackpot in October, which made them the country's biggest winner.
The previous biggest UK winners were Colin and Chris Weir, from North Ayrshire, who won £161m in July 2011.
A £123m jackpot was won by a UK ticket-holder in June and another UK winner scooped £38m on the EuroMillions in April.
Ade Goodchild, from Hereford, bagged £71m on March 15 and Patrick and Frances Connolly, from Northern Ireland, won £114.9m on New Year's Day.
MOST READ IN NEWS
It comes after troubled EuroMillions winner Adrian Bayford quit his mansion and moved to Scotland to be near his ex.
Ex-postie Adrian, 49, who scooped £148million in 2012, split from Gillian, 47, the following year because of the stress of the win.
His love life has suffered ever since, with a string of relationships failing — including one with Samantha Burbidge, a stable hand 16 years his junior.
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Steve Thomson and wife Lenka tell how family have realised that £105million EuroMillions jackpot means they're richer than Harry Kane and Cheryl
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