Neil Leighton: My 拢1m lottery win 'was an accident and I may spend it on a steam train'
Mr Leighton was on an evening call with friends from the UK and the US when he won - and promptly left the chat.
Wednesday 6 December 2023 15:44, UK
A man who won 拢1m on the National Lottery hit the jackpot "by accident" and may blow his winnings on a steam train, he has said.
Neil Leighton, 24, was "aimlessly" playing the Cash Bolt Christmas Millionaire game on his phone when, after completing all his spins, he received a message saying: "Congratulations you've won £1M."
Mr Leighton, from Hereford, was chatting to friends from the UK and the US at the time, but promptly left the chat - after telling them he had won £1m.
The part-time assistant general manager tried to call the National Lottery to confirm the news but, with the phone lines not open at that time of night, decided to hop back onto his earlier call, telling his friends: "I think I have won on The National Lottery by accident."
He said: "They were so happy for me, although there was plenty of joking that only I could have won £1m by accident.
"We stayed up into the early hours discussing the crazy turn of events and having a little browse on the internet looking at houses and holidays I could now afford."
He shared the news with his family the following day after confirming his good fortune with lottery officials.
Mr Leighton said: "I walked into the house and my mum and dad both jokingly said I looked far too happy, what had I been buying?
"When I told them I'd bought something, a National Lottery instant win game, and I'd won £1m, mum screamed, used some colourful language and then was convinced it was a scam."
Mr Leighton, a fan of trains from an early age, said he may think about buying his own steam train one day.
He said: "Ever since my grandad took me to see my first steam train when I was three, I have been fascinated.
"It started with Thomas the Tank Engine and, to be honest, I never grew out of it.
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"Now, if I'm not visiting a railway, I'm busy writing and filming my own take on Thomas the Tank Engine storylines which I share online, or collaborating with Thomas fans around the world on future projects.
"So, top of the list is buying my own home, where I can have a train room, an entire space dedicated to trains, and another room for filming and editing my Thomas content.
"Maybe, one day, if I'm wise with this win, I'll swap the train room for my very own steam train."
Mr Leighton said he is not planning to give up his job but wants to travel, take driving lessons and treat his family.