[News] Couple who lost son to Covid-19, wins lottery twice in two weeks

A woman Susan Slater, 74, and her husband have won a huge lottery twice in the space of two weeks, months after their son Steve died from coronavirus.

She and her husband of 55 years each won £1,000 in their People’s Postcode Lottery draw on July 15.

Two weeks later, they struck gold, winning a bumper prize of £30,000.

The couple from Essex, UK are now planning a ‘big memorial’ for their late son.

Mrs Slater said her neighbours in Canvey Island are helping her with the planning.

 

She said: ‘We’re going to have a big memorial for him. We want to celebrate him properly.

‘Lots of people are helping me to do it. It’s old Canvey and we are a really close-knit group.

‘I just want everyone to come and raise a glass for Steve.’

 

Recalling the moment she heard she was a winner, Mrs Slater said:

‘When I got the phone call for this, I’d told quite a few people that I’d won £1,000 and I thought “this is a wind-up, someone is winding me up!”

‘Nowhere in my imagination did I think I was going to be lucky enough to win £30,000.’

 

When asked how she planned to spend her winnings, the pensioner said she was hoping to treat her family with her daughter, daughter-in-law, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren on her mind.

She said: ‘Obviously, I should think they’ll be getting a little bit.

 

‘My husband and I have been married for 55 years this year and we always love a holiday, so this one is going to be extra special.

 

‘We love cruising so it will be quite a nice long cruise.’