Great Notley Millionaire Street

Libby Poole was surprised with a share of a £1 Million prize the day before flying to the Big Apple with hubby Richard for a romantic getaway.

And Richard didn’t even know his wife played the lottery until she received news of the whopping win.

In true travel agent style, she already knows exactly how she’ll spend the cash: holidays, holidays… and more holidays.

Libby, of Great Notley, Essex, said: "I thought I’d maybe win ten grand or something… but this is just epic, unbelievably epic. I feel really, really lucky.

"My brain is exploding with excitement!"

Speaking just after her prize was revealed, Libby added: "We're going to New York tomorrow for three nights. We're doing a quick whistle-stop tour.

"It’s perfect timing. It’ll give us a chance to take in what's just happened."

She was among six people on Gilpin Way to share today's Millionaire Street prize when CM77 7UT was announced as the winner. Each winning ticket was worth £166,666.

Now holiday-hungry Libby plans to splash the cash seeing even more of the world.

She said: "Okay, I’m a travel agent, so there will be holidays! I love my job. I love finding people’s dream trips. Now I get to book some of my own!”

And just a few weeks ago, while Richard casually mentioned he had three days of leave left this year, Libby did what travel agents do best.

Richard said: "I was washing the car and I said, ‘What should we do?’ An hour later she came back out - she’d booked the flights!"

Since the pair received the amazing news, they’ve already reached New York. And at the time, Libby even joked that she might take the cheque up the Empire State Building.

But it was even more fitting when she took it to the famous statue in Upper New York Bay, off Manhattan.

The couple, who are staying in Manhattan, are enjoying festive shopping sprees, a Broadway show - if they can squeeze it in - and as many bagels, pizzas and rooftop cocktails as they can.

Libby’s cash prize came as a huge shock to Richard.

He said: "I’m speechless. Well done. I didn’t even know she played Postcode Lottery. I’m very glad she does."

The win means Richard, a car showroom sales manager for more than 25 years and Libby, who has worked for 30 years in travel, can finally slow down.

Richard said: "We’ve been on the treadmill forever. It feels like 300 miles an hour forever, you know? We can take a breath and think about the future. It’s life changing."

The couple, who reunited years after first dating as teens, married last year. Their blended family - including Richard’s two daughters who live just around the corner - will get the shock of their lives when they find out.

And next year Libby's already got an epic cruise lined up. The pair will sail from Venice to Athens, via hotspots like Dubrovnik, the Greek islands, and the Adriatic coastline - the kind of trip most people only see on Instagram.

Libby said: "It’s the ship we fell in love with last time. We’re not super posh, but we love good food and exploring. That ship just suits us. Nothing will ever top our first cruise, but this one might come close."

Beyond the big-ticket trips, Libby already has a wish list the length of a runway.

As an experienced travel agent, she’s got connections in every corner of the world. Now she can finally book some of the once-in-a-lifetime deals she usually arranges for clients. And the night before her win she was up late securing a trip to Borneo for someone.

On her holiday hitlist is: Caribbean beaches, a return to the Maldives for Richard and possibly Antarctica again after a work trip wowed her.

Richard added: "It’s nice that we both get to go places neither of us have been. That’s proper bucket-list stuff."

Julie Burley also won £166,666 and might be using Libby’s services with her own trip to Antarctica - to fuel her penguin obsession.

Julie said: "I’m mad on penguins. Going to Antarctica to see them would be a dream."

Julie beamed with delight when she found out Libby had also won.

She asked: "Oh, she’s won it as well? Then we both got it! Oh, my God - that would be amazing. We could all go to Antarctica!"

Caring Julie has spent her life looking after others - from hairdressing in care homes, to working in hospitals, to 14 years nurturing children in a nursery.

And when she was asked what the money meant for her family, she simply breathed and said: "It means everything. It’s indescribable. It’ll just set everybody up for life. It really will."

Julie has four grown sons - Jack, Tom, Joe and Charlie - plus granddaughters, neighbours and friends she’s determined to spoil. In fact, she worries she might give half of it away before she even lets them know how much she’s won.

She said: "I might not even tell them. I’ll just ping it into their bank accounts and say Father Christmas sent it."

Julie only signed up to the lottery two months ago on a whim - after seeing an advert.

She said: "I’ve never won anything. I thought, well... maybe. And now this. Two months later!"

Another winner was the matriarch of the cul-de-sac, Janice Wilson, the first to move into the street back in 1981.

And when she opened her golden envelope to reveal £166,666, she could only blink and whisper the word that summed up the moment: "Gobsmacked."

Janice nearly didn’t answer the door at all after she’d received a confusing voicemail earlier in the week.

Janice said: "I had a lady on the phone - I couldn’t understand what she said. I did hear Postcode Lottery, but I thought, no, no, no - not me."

When lottery ambassador Danyl Johnson placed the giant cheque in her hands, she froze.

Janice said: "This is actually mine? What a Christmas present!"

Janice has endured more loss in 10 years than most people face in a lifetime.

She said: "I lost my middle sister Elaine to Covid - she was one of the first to pass away in Britain from the pandemic.

"Then my husband Steve passed away to a brain tumour. We couldn’t believe how quickly it all happened."

Steve had been fit, healthy, tennis-loving - until a brain scan revealed the worst.

Janice said: "They said it was a multiforme glioblastoma. They could take some, but not all. He chose to take his chance. He survived until May 2021."

In the years surrounding that heartbreak, Janice also lost Steve’s adoptive mum, his younger brother’s wife, her best friend Jackie and a cousin she adored.

She said: "I keep thinking… I don’t want to know any more bad news."

Janice thanked her lost loved ones for her newfound fortune - and vowed to use her winnings to help her family and friends.

And the players’ wins mean that local charities have also benefitted.

One organisation, Crossroads Braintree and Chelmsford, has been awarded £50,000.

They provide vital respite care and support for unpaid carers and their families across the community at some of the most challenging times of their lives.

The charity offers practical assistance, emotional support and short breaks for carers who dedicate their time to looking after loved ones.

Crossroads also provide a companionship service - an opportunity for quality time with a friendly car support worker to tackle loneliness within the local elderly population.

Danni Perry, Crossroad's Finance & Business Development Manager, said: "Unpaid family carers are the hidden backbone of our communities, dedicating countless hours to supporting loved ones without recognition or rest.

"At Crossroads Braintree and Chelmsford, we step in to give carers the vital breaks they need, ensuring they can continue their role without sacrificing their own wellbeing.

"The funding from players of People’s Postcode Lottery means we can reach more families, provide more respite and remind carers that they are not alone."

She added: "We are deeply grateful to players for making this support possible."

Other charities benefitting from this week’s Millionaire Street prize include:

Braintree District Mencap - £30,000

Braintree District Mencap have a vast membership throughout the local area, providing support to adults with disabilities and their families. The charity offers a variety of activities and classes in a relaxed, safe and inclusive environment.

Braintree Area Foodbank - £40,000

Providing emergency food and practical support to people in their hardest moments, Braintree Area Foodbank works with partners and local communities to ensure everyone gets the right help before the need to use a foodbank.

Happy Hill Essex CIO - £50,000

The charity hosts a wide range of hub-based sessions for vulnerable people and children with complex needs. Happy Hill enables children to play and feel empowered through their exciting range of trips and activities.

Deserving Causes

Today's prize is part of a draw promoted on behalf of Postcode Planet Trust which supports organisations including Blue Marine Foundation, The Wildlife Trusts and WWF-UK.

Players aren't the only ones who benefit from People's Postcode Lottery. A minimum of 30% of each ticket price goes to charities and good causes. Thanks to our fantastic players, more than £1.5 Billion has been raised for thousands of deserving projects.

Not playing yet? Do you know about all the amazing Prizes our players can win? Learn about how People's Postcode Lottery works and sign up to play today.