Asda winner hopes to pay for IVF baby

A supermarket worker broke down in tears yesterday as she told how a lottery win will help fund IVF treatment and give her “the family she has dreamed of”.

Emma Allen, 32, was one of 16 jackpot winners who all work at an Asda store in Hyde, Greater Manchester.

The lucky syndicate shared Saturday’s jackpot of £6,873,588 – taking home more than £430,000 each.

All the winners gathered at the store today where they shared their spending plans – with new homes, dream holidays and even breast enlargement on the cards.

Mrs Allen, who works in the Asda Extra department, said two courses of NHS IVF treatment had been unsuccessful and was facing a £5,000 bill for further attempts.

She said: “This money means I can carry on with the IVF and have unlimited treatments.

“It will give me the family I have dreamed of.

“It’s a happy ending.”

Other winners spoke about their plans to buy new homes and one syndicate member, who chose not to have publicity, is planning breast enhancement surgery.

Syndicate leader Debra Wilson, 50, who formed the group in January 2010, said the first thing she plans to buy is a new car to replace the “old banger” she has had for “years and years”.

“We have had a few wins so far and had won about £300 this year, which is great, but this is unbelievable,” she said.

“One of the girls rang me on Monday morning and said she thought we had won.

“I didn’t believe her so she told me to check the teletext and, even when I did, I didn’t believe it was real.”

Mrs Wilson, a customer services adviser, added that she will help her daughter and go to Las Vegas “as soon as possible”.

“At first I thought I must have the wrong ticket or the wrong week’s numbers,” she said.

“It was good coming into work today and seeing everyone. You need to be with friends in times like this, you need to talk about it.

“There’s no use sitting at home on your own.”

Checkout co-ordinator Paul Quinn, 58, the only male member of the syndicate, said their colleagues at the store had been delighted for them.

Angela Truter, 52, a service manager, said: “There wasn’t many of the syndicate in on Monday morning when we heard the news but all the other colleagues were obviously really, really pleased.

“The news was all round the checkouts and staff and customers were coming up to me saying ‘Well done’.

“It was really surreal because you don’t believe it’s happened at first.

“You hear about other people winning but you never think it will happen to you.”

Mrs Truter is planning a second honeymoon in Mauritius.

Checkout operator Lynn Farrell, 46, said she was the last of the group to learn of the big win.

“I didn’t answer the phone because I thought somebody was ringing me to come into work,” she said.

“I’m going to buy a house and I’m going to keep my job, we’re all really happy working here.”

Vanessa Gibson, 38, was shopping in Primark when she heard she had won.

She said: “The figure of six million just didn’t sink in. I carried on shopping thinking we’d got about £1,000 each.

“Even when I was told how much I was getting, I still couldn’t believe it at first and then I started crying and ran to the car.”

Senior staff at the store knew they had sold the winning ticket on Saturday evening, but it was not until Monday that news filtered through that it was their own colleagues who had won.

Store manager Stuart Davey said: “We are all absolutely delighted.

“It’s great to get some good news these days and they are all fabulous colleagues.

“The news spread so quickly around the store on Monday. It created a great buzz around the store and it was fantastic for morale.

“I hope none of them resign because they are wonderful colleagues but we don’t know at this stage what decisions people are going to make.”

The numbers for Saturday’s draw were 04, 15, 17, 26, 37 and 41 and the bonus ball was 29.

The syndicate won with a line chosen by Lucky Dip tickets from the first draw they played.

Other members of the syndicate are checkout assistant Amanda Turner, 40, Marina Leigh, 28, Janet Casey, 54, Claire Petch, 26, Katie Coulthard, 30, and Sue Markham, 60.

The rest of the syndicate have chosen not to have publicity.