'Our daughter's sweets demand got us lottery win'

Abbey and Valdet Bujupi are planning a family trip to New York with their winnings

A couple has their three-year-old daughter's sweet tooth to thank for winning £524,000 in the EuroMillions.

Valdet Bujupi, 44, from Barrow, Cumbria, said he would have never bought a lucky dip ticket if his daughter had not been so persistent in her demand for sweets on a journey home.

The father-of-two said he had caved in and headed to a shop after the third time she asked, "please daddy, can I have some sweets?".

"We're all over the moon and our daughter, who was already daddy's princess, has now been promoted to the Queen," he said.

Mr Bujupi played a lucky dip ticket in the 5 September draw and matched five main numbers and a lucky star - 27, 30, 31, 41, 43 and 05 and 08.

The couple said their son had thought they were joking when he heard the news

Abbey Bujupi, 40, said she had been cleaning when she got a call from her husband.

She said: "I was cleaning the bathroom and was not impressed at having to take off my rubber gloves to answer the phone.

"Valdet's first words were 'book New York, I've won the lottery'."

The couple had been saving for their dream trip to New York since last Christmas, but Mrs Bujupi said it had been difficult due to something always coming up to "scupper our plans".

She said: "Now the thing that has come up is our bank balance. We can finally make New York, and so many other plans a reality."

When sharing the news with their 12-year-old son, Mr Bujupi said it had been "one of the craziest moments" trying to convince him that they had won.

"He thought it was a joke and it was only once I showed him the win on the lottery app that he was willing to believe us," he said.

As well as New York, Mr Bujupi said he was planning a big present for his mother in Kosovo to "make her life a little bit easier".

"Being able to help my mum comfortably enjoy her older years means so much to us both," he added.

The couple is also pondering a house move as well as helping their children with their future.

Andy Carter, senior winners' advisor at The National Lottery, said: "They've clearly got some amazing and memorable moments ahead and I hope they especially love taking a big bite of the Big Apple."