Winner bought Euromillions ticket to pass time on train

Lottery winner Leigh Hancox toasting his good fortune outside Rushton Hall near Kettering

A punter who rarely plays the lottery was inspired by a newspaper ad while on a train journey to try his luck online and is now £226,436 richer.

Leigh Hancox, 39, from Wellingborough, Northamptonshire was heading to the airport for a flight to Bucharest when he spotted a special Euromillions draw.

He discovered on his return home his ticket drawn on Friday, 1 March matched five numbers and one star.

"I turn 40 this year and they say life begins at 40," he said.

"I already had a five star holiday booked to Australia and New Zealand to celebrate.

"In all the time the lottery has been going I've probably played no more than 30 times, but when I saw the ad, I thought I'd play, if only to have something to do while on the train."

'Afternoon slump'

Mr Hancox was in Bucharest enjoying the sights when Camelot sent an email about his win but he thought it was only a small amount.

"I headed home with the usual post-holiday and Sunday afternoon slump, that is until I remembered to check my National Lottery account and saw I'd won £226,436.50!"

He had spent the past five years tightening his belt so he could buy a home and get a secure job.

He said: "At the end of last year I was made redundant and worried that my security was on the line again, but fate stepped in and I quickly secured another job [at BBC Broadcasting House working as an administrator for the graphic design team].

"Now fate has positively leapt in and I am about 10 years ahead of where I dreamt I might be."

Mr Hancox said he had no plans to give up work.