A BASINGSTOKE mum has scooped £2million on a scratchcard after popping out to Co-op to pick up some spinach and a chocolate bar.

Lesley Herbert, 42, told the cash assistant at the Limes Park store in Rooksdown that she was ‘feeling lucky’ when she bought the items.

There is a one in 3.38 chance of winning a prize, according to The National Lottery. And it turns out it was Lesley’s lucky day.

“I popped to the shops to buy some spinach, of all things, but decided against it and ended up getting a chocolate orange bar. For some reason I was also feeling quite lucky, so treated myself to a Monopoly Riches National Lottery scratchcard”, she said.

Having lost her grandfather last year, Lesley said she felt convinced that someone was watching over her during that exact moment, saying: “When I went to the shop, I even said to the shop assistant ‘I’m feeling lucky today’. My grandad died in December and he always used to say to me ‘when I win the lottery, I’ll buy you the big house on top of the hill,’ so I can’t help feeling he was with me that day, telling me to buy the ticket - I just wish he was here to see it.”

Lesley took the £5 scratchcard home where she scratched off the items and initially couldn’t believe what she was saying.

“I played the scratch card at home, thankfully one of my sons is home-working so was able to tell me I wasn’t seeing things when I revealed the £2M winning symbol, and that I’d better call Camelot,” she said.

But it hasn’t all been good news for Lesley, who shortly after her win had to take care of her poorly pet parrot. She said: “It was a crazy moment when I found out I had won and, just as I was waiting to get the ticket validated, everything got a little more chaotic as Bibi, one of my African Grey rescue parrots, had an accident, dislocating her foot.”

With her win temporarily put to the back of her mind, Lesley took Bibi to the vets for treatment where she was given an unexpected £200 vet bill which she promised she could pay once her winnings had landed in her bank account - taking a picture of the winning scratchcard to show the vet as proof she would be able to settle her bill.

She said: “The vet team were brilliant but were very shocked when I showed them a picture of the scratchcard as an IOU. They laughed that they’d never before been shown a £2,000,000 winning scratchcard as a guarantee the bill would be paid!”

The self-confessed animal lover said she is looking forward to being able to get on the property ladder and house her two rescue dogs Nicko and Luna, as well as African Grey parrots Bibi and Alfie. Lesley also plans to finally get much-wanted chickens in the near future.

As well as purchasing a new home, helping out family and good causes close to her heart are also on her ‘to do’ list. Lesley said, “I am still trying to get my head around the win but I have already been looking for what kind of house I could buy - a farm with a bit of land would be amazing, so I can rescue more animals in need. In the longer term I would love to look at starting my own animal shelter charity.

Lesley said: “This win will also mean so much to my four children. I’ll be able to set them up for life, which is something I never dreamt I would ever be able to say, let alone do.”

She continued: “Charity and giving back to those in need is something that is really close to my heart. I currently help an organisation by picking up close to out-of-date food from supermarkets and I distribute it to those who are in need.”

Dream holidays are also high on the bucket list, with a trip to the Bahamas to visit Pig Beach to swim with the pigs being a must for Lesley, as soon as it is safe to do so.

  • Have you ever won the lottery or on a scratchcard? Email newsdesk@basingstokegazette.co.uk