A newlywed couple have won the keys to a luxury house in Victoria Park worth more than £5 million.
Hillary McManus, 30, and her husband Franco, 34, discovered they were the winners of the latest Omaze Million Pound House Draw earlier this month.
The home, which lies in the heart of Victoria Park village, comes with a gym, games room and spa facilities, including a jacuzzi and sauna.
Hillary bought the winning entry for just £20 – but is now the owner of the most valuable property ever to be won in a UK prize draw.
The house is worth more than £5 million (Image: Omaze)
The home comes mortgage free, and the couple have also been given £250,000 in cash to help them settle in.
Hillary, who is originally from London but currently lives in Nottinghamshire, said: “One minute we were sitting at home gearing up for just another Friday night, deciding what we were gonna have for dinner and watch on telly, then before we knew what was happening, we’d won a £5 million house in London and our lives had changed forever.
“It turned out to be anything but your average Friday night!”
The secondary school teacher, who tied the knot with husband Franco over Easter, said the wedding was the “best day of our lives”.
But she added: “We never thought we’d top it – but winning this house is running it a very close second - it's certainly the best wedding present ever!”
The couple, who have been together for eight years, currently live in a new-build, three bedroom house, which they bought for £250,000 last year after “scrimping and saving” for four years for a deposit.
Hillary said: “My husband thought they must’ve got the wrong door at first, thank goodness they hadn’t - the whole thing is just bonkers, we feel like the luckiest people in the world.”
The couple's current home is worth around £250,000 (Image: Omaze)
The prize draw raised £4 million for London’s Air Ambulance charity, which Hillary described as a “worthy cause”, in just six weeks.
London’s Air Ambulance Charity CEO Jonathan Jenkins said: “Two years ago, the charity launched its most ambitious ever fundraising effort, looking to raise an additional £15 million to replace its two current helicopters.”
He added: “Thanks to the record-breaking amount raised by the Omaze community, the appeal has now passed its £15 million target ahead of its September deadline, meaning the charity can continue to save lives across the city and be there whenever and wherever we are most needed.”
The partnership between the charity and Omaze was backed by ex-England football captain David Beckham.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel