Retired Yorkshire taxi driver wins £4m beachside house in latest Omaze Million Pound House Draw

James Moughton, of Hull, has been living off his pension since retiring but as well as the stunning beachside home in Sussex, he has also scooped £250,000 in cash to help him settle in.

The 71-year-old said it will be cold beers on the sun lounger from now on after paying just £25 for his winning entry.

If he decides to rent the property out, local estate agents believe he could get around £6,000 per month in rental fees.

The grandfather-of-two said: “It’s a feeling I couldn’t even have dreamed of before. When I was a cabbie, I used to drop people off at fancy homes—now I’ve got one of my own.”

The draw, which helped raise more than £4m for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, was the first thing Mr Moughton has won since scooping a soft toy from Hull Fair.

He said: “I’m thrilled Omaze has raised such a massive amount for the MND Association. I followed Rob Burrow’s story—what he went through was heartbreaking. It’s wonderful that the money raised from this draw will help others like him.

He said he will now be bringing his family together - daughter Katie, 28, son Michael, 29, granddaughter Harper, four, and grandson, Kasper, three - at the house for a huge party.

He added: “I’ve got a daughter, a son and grandchildren— they’re all over the moon for me. I can’t wait to have all the family come and stay - everyday will feel like a holiday here.

“I’m from a council estate, but now I own a coastal paradise. I can’t believe I’m going from a one-bedroom flat to a £4 million mansion. Things like this just don’t happen to people where I come from. The last thing I won was a soft toy at the Hull Fair.

“I used to be a cabbie and it’s safe to say this is the best tip I’ve ever had. When I was working I’d spend my days navigating traffic—now all I’ll have to navigate is my best route to the hot tub.”

The property has panoramic sea views, direct beach access and a Skargards wood surround hot tub.

Mr Moughton said: “The house is absolutely stunning. The sea views are something else—it’s literally right on the beach.

“I’ve even got a hot tub looking out across the sea—my grandson’s going to love that. Now I’ve got the beach as my back garden, I think it's time I learnt to swim. My son said he’s going to teach me, but I'll just dip my toes in for the time being.

“The place is massive, especially compared to my little flat; the dog shower in the garage is bigger than my current bathroom. I’ve also got an outdoor pizza oven, not that I’ve ever used one before—but if Jamie Oliver can do it, so can I.

“The births of my children and grandchildren were the best days of my life, but winning this place is running it close.”

He believes the new house and money will “change his life forever” and be a “generational legacy” for his family.

He said: “I’ve no idea what I’ll do long-term yet — but if I do decide to sell up and cash in, the money from the sale will change the lives of my family forever.

“Living on a pension, you’re always watching the pennies. But now, for the first time in my life, I don’t have to worry about money ever again—it’ll be ice cold beers on the sun lounger from now on.”

The main home is a spacious property with three reception rooms, including a first floor living room with an integrated bar area offering breathtaking sea views.

The expansive kitchen features a central island breakfast bar and high-end appliances with a separate utility room nearby.

Outside, the property offers a south-facing garden, multiple terraces, an outdoor kitchen with an Ooni pizza oven and BBQ area, as well as a wood surround Skargards hot tub.

There is also a boathouse, an outdoor shower and private, gated access directly from the garden onto the pebble beach.

A detached, self-contained guest studio with a bedroom and en suite bathroom sits above a double garage, which even includes a heated dog shower.

The draw has also raised money for a charity close to his heart as his daughter Katie spent time working directly with people with MND and says she has seen at first hand the “devastating” impact of the disease.