An 80-year-old woman from Cheshire, UK, won £333,333 in a popular postcode lottery after her husband secretly registered a ticket in her name because he believed it brought better luck.Nancy Barclay, from Crewe, received the six-figure sum as part of a combined £1m prize awarded across her borough.Her husband, Colin Barclay (69 years old), said that he deliberately registered using his wife’s details because he was convinced that she was the lucky person in the family.“I told her she was the lucky one. Apparently I was right,” he said.The couple now plans to leave their rented accommodation and finally buy their own home after years of modest living.“We can buy the house we always wanted,” Nancy said.“We are not flashy people. We do not drink alcohol and are happy with simple things.”The retired factory worker described the win as life-changing, and admitted that she initially thought the prize amount would be much less.“I never expected anything like this amount,” she said.“I thought £1,000… anything more than that was a bonus. That’s a pretty big bonus.”The BBC reported that Nancy also spoke about her late brother, David Whitby, who was attacked during the Great Train Robbery in 1963 carried out by one of Britain’s most famous criminal gangs.
She said the family tragedy had been a part of her life for decades, and she wondered if her brother was watching her in some way.“Everyone knew the names of the thieves, but now people remember my brother David too,” she said.“He might look down on us today.”The grandmother-of-two previously worked as a seamstress at Chester Barry, a clothing manufacturer known for producing suits worn by royals, footballers and Formula 1 figures.The couple recently returned to Crewe after retiring in Wales, saying worsening health problems had brought them closer to their relatives.Nancy was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago and later suffered serious complications after treatment.“At one point I went an entire month without eating or drinking,” she said.“I ended up in the hospital on drips and intravenous antibiotics.”She said her health has improved since then, and the family now hopes to enjoy quieter pleasures, including lunches out and short trips.
