A petrolhead Granny has won a £250,000 McLaren Artura Spider which reaches speeds of up to 200mph after entering a prize draw for just £10.
“I felt like Lando Norris,” said Rebecca Francis, 62, from Ascot, after driving the British-built supercar which she won as an early bird prize after entering the Omaze Million Pound House Draw for the first time.
“I went from zero to screaming in two seconds,” said Ms Francis after driving her brand-new blue McLaren.
“Even though I’m standing next to the car now, I still can’t believe it – it looks absolutely stunning. I’m a bona fide petrolhead. I love F1 and I’m obsessed with fast cars,” she added after collecting her big win.
Omaze arranged for Ms Francis to take the car out with Hollywood stunt driver Tessa Whittock, who showed her what the McLaren could do before letting her get behind the wheel herself.
“I’ve never experienced anything like that before, I felt like Max Verstappen… or I should say Lando Norris, as I was in a McLaren!” said Ms Francis who works as a part-time lifestyle practitioner.
The convertible car sprints from 0–62mph in just three seconds, hits a top speed of 205mph, and the retractable hard top opens in just 11 seconds, even at 31mph.
Although Ms Francis is a true speed demon and petrol head, she confirmed she will be selling the car because the money will be “transformation” for her family.
She became a grandmother in March and her second grandchild is on the way.
By selling the car, Ms Francis said: “I can help all my children out, spoil my grandkids even more than I was already planning to, and enjoy a much more comfortable retirement whenever I choose to.
“The money from the sale gives me total freedom. I can retire if I want to, knowing I’m financially secure.”
She entered the Omaze Cheshire draw which raised £3.7 million for Anthony Nolan, helping fund its Cell Collection Centre in Nottingham to deliver lifesaving stem cell transplants faster.
Since 2020, Omaze has raised a total of £100 million for charity.
Once she sells the car, Ms Francis confirmed she will continue to enter Omaze draws in the future, with the hope of winning a main house prize such as a £3 million coastal home in Cornwall.
The Cornwall property is a four-bedroom home on the North Cornwall coast, overlooking Porthcothan Bay and inspired by the shape of a pair of binoculars to maximise the panoramic views of Will’s Rock and the Atlantic Ocean.
The home comes mortgage-free, with all stamp duty and legal fees covered, plus £250,000 in cash, and includes £150,000 worth of furnishings.
Local agents estimate it could achieve around £3,500 per month as a long-term rental.
The Cornwall draw will raise funds for FareShare, the UK’s leading food redistribution charity, with a guaranteed minimum donation of £1 million.
James May, broadcaster and FareShare supporter, said: “Food waste has bothered me ever since I was a kid – there’s tonnes of it and there are people who desperately need it.
“So it can either be redistributed or thrown in the bin… it’s a bit of a no-brainer.”
James Oakes, president of Omaze, said: “By offering incredible properties and life-changing prizes like this supercar, we’re giving people the chance to win something truly extraordinary – just like Rebecca has – while also raising significant funds for amazing causes.
“Our charity partners get introduced to vast new audiences they wouldn’t otherwise reach, and we're tremendously proud that the Omaze Community has helped to raise over £100 million for good causes across the UK.”
