Harlow man, 65, says £500k lucky dip lottery is fate

Jeff Etherington and his partner Kim Read have booked a fishing trip to Leicestershire after the win

A 65-year-old man who won £500,000 on the lottery said he believed it was "fate".

Jeff Etherington, from Harlow in Essex, had swapped his shift at work to attend a hospital appointment on 11 January.

On his way home he bought the Thunderball lucky dip ticket at a Sainsbury's in the town.

Mr Etherington, who works as a machine setter for the automotive industry, said: "I've always believed that one day I would win big.

"I can't help thinking it's fate, had I not swapped shifts for that hospital appointment, I wouldn't have been buying my lucky dip ticket at that exact moment and some other lucky person might now be celebrating instead."

The couple plan to get married after their windfall

Mr Etherington said he planned to continue working but the money would enable he and his partner, Kim Read, to get married.

The couple have five children and eight grandchildren between them.

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"We've been together for six years, and finally got engaged in 2021," Mr Etherington said.

"We always knew we would get married eventually but the money was always spent on something else.

"Now that 'eventually' wedding can happen imminently."

After he realised he had won, he told Ms Read and she "responded by telling me to go away, but in quite colourful language".

Ms Read said it all felt "numb" at the moment

After confirming the win, Mr Etherington shared the news with family and work colleagues.

"When I walked into the workshop the following day, word had spread and everyone clapped and cheered, it was a surreal moment," he said.

Despite initially looking at a fishing trip to Hawaii, Mr Etherington and Ms Read decided to book a break at a holiday park in Leicestershire.

"We booked a four-night break at a luxury lodge, complete with hot tub on the deck, instead," he said.

Ms Read said: "He'll be fishing, I'll be in the hot tub."