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THIS is the moment a cab driver found out he had won £24.5million on the lottery as his ecstatic daughters screamed for joy.

In the heartwarming clip Amo Riselli, 50, can be seen on the phone introducing himself to the operator before leaping to his feet and yelling with joy.

This is the moment a cabbie found out he had won £25 million on the lottery
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This is the moment a cabbie found out he had won £24.5million on the lottery

The dad-of-five was surrounded by his daughters as he screamed "oh my God!" and embraced his girls.

He drove around with the winning ticket in his glove compartment for two days before realising he'd scooped the £24,501,283 Lotto prize.

But his win is tinged with sadness after four years ago discovering his partner, Donna, collapsed dead over their Christmas tree.

He said: “Christmas has been tough for me after she died.

Amo Riselli was surrounded by his daughters when he discovered he had won the life changing sum
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Amo Riselli was surrounded by his daughters when he discovered he had won the life changing sum
The family embraced and jumped for joy as they found out they had become multi-millionaires
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The family embraced and jumped for joy as they found out they had become multi-millionaires
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Amo Riselli scooped £24,501,283 in the lottery just after ChristmasCredit: SWNS:South West News Service

“But I know she was with me this Christmas, I just know she was looking over me and was there for the win.”

The winner's daughter Bethany Sciberras posted a moving tribute to her late mum last month on the anniversary of her death.

She wrote: "3 years ago I lost the most amazing woman, missing you lost love you mum."

Friends have told how Amo found Donna collapsed over the Christmas tree in their home in Gloucester December 2013 and could do nothing to save her.

They say he suffered his own heart attack weeks before as he pulled 70-hour shifts for his family.

Neighbour Barbara said it was about time the overworked grandfather-of-nine had some luck.

Gloucester taxi driver Amo Riselli drove around with the £24.5m Lottery ticket in his glove box for two days before realising he'd won jackpot
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Lotto winner Amo Riselli's daughter Bethany Sciberras paid tribute to her mother on FacebookCredit: Facebook
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Bethany Sciberras paid tribute to her mum on Facebook, days before her dad won the lotteryCredit: Facebook

"He's a hard-working family man who loves his kids and his grandchildren, they're all gorgeous," said the 72-year-old.

"He's been on his own now for a while. Donna had a heart attack in the middle of the night. Amo was working so wasn't there. It was very sad.

"He has been a wonderful friend to us."

The conscientious taxi driver continued to drive customers around the busy Christmas period even after his win but has now decided to hang up his keys for good.

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Maria Riselli, 80, kept her son's Lotto ticket in a glass jar to keep it safe

"I'm not going to play the lottery any more, as I've already conquered that 'big win' - it is someone else's turn now," said the father of five daughters, who bought his winning ticket from a Post Office near where he lives in Linden, an area of Gloucester.

"I may now be a multi-millionaire but I am still the same normal person I always was, just with a bit more loose change in my pocket."

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The Gloucester Post Office where Amo Riselli purchased his winning ticketCredit: SWNS:South West News Service
 Amo Riselli will hang up his keys as self-employed taxi driver after winning £24.5million in the lottery
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Amo Riselli will hang up his keys as self-employed taxi driver after winning £24.5million in the lotteryCredit: Adrian Sherratt

Mr Riselli's family are also overjoyed with the win, with 80-year-old mum Maria Riselli storing the lucky ticket in a glass jar over the Christmas period.

Mr Riselli originally thought he'd pocketed £240,000, and ran over to his sister Lisa's hair salon shouting excitedly before realising he'd won 100 times that amount.

"I try to get my tickets checked in the same shop and I have always said: 'One day this machine is going to start smoking red hot because I will have hit the big one.'

"I can't believe that it's actually happened to me for real."

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Former England and British Lion rugby player Phil Vickery tweets about his Lotto winning friend Amo RiselliCredit: SWNS:South West News Service

Mr Riselli, who said he was "shaking like a leaf", then called his brother Marco to tell him his good news.

"He said he didn't understand how that could be as he'd already checked his own ticket and didn't remember that winning amount.

"He asked what numbers I'd got and when I told him he cried: 'You've won the whole jackpot of £24 million!'"

News of his luck has even spread as far as Italy, where his parents are originally from, with friends and well-wishers eager to send their congratulations.

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Amo Riselli ran to his sister Lisa's hair salon after thinking he'd won £240,000 - only to realise he'd won ten times that amountCredit: PA:Press Association

After treating family and friends, Mr Riselli is planning on moving house.

He wants a four bedroom home with a swimming pool but still in the Gloucester area, where he has lived his entire life.

He is also going to organise a big get-together to thank his colleagues from his taxi rank, where he was self-employed for 12 years.

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Lottery winner Amo Riselli plans to move from his humble home after his £24.5million winCredit: SWNS:South West News Service

A holiday to Las Vegas is on the cards, but more than anything, the happy winner just wants to spend time with his family.

"It's an amazing feeling and I'm absolutely over the moon," he said.

The Lotto jackpot is capped at £22 million and once it is reached the sum has to be won in the next draw.

Normally Lotto players would need six matching numbers to claim the prize, but Mr Riselli got lucky when the jackpot rolled down to five numbers matching his 18, 36, 48, 57, 58, 59 and a bonus ball of 50.


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