A lucky care home chef who works 80-hour weeks has won £50,000 from a 50p bingo bet.
Donna Brookhouse immediately sprung up on the tables of her local bookies and "danced with joy" when she'd realised she'd won the Betfred Bingo jackpot - for “less than the price of a Mars bar”.
The 52-year-old from Warrington scooped the winnings with her favourite set of consecutive numbers - 24, 25, 26, 31, 32 and 33.
She said: “It’s something I’ve wanted to do all my life and couldn’t help myself.
“It’s not every day you win so much, and that’s why I got on the wobbly table to dance with joy. I was just so happy - and I still am.”
Donna has worked all the overtime shifts available during the coronavirus pandemic at the Lady of the Vale nursing home in Altrincham, where she is the head chef.
But she'll now be treating herself to a well-deserved break.
She's planning to splash out on her “dream holiday” later this year in Greece or Las Vegas with her partner Russ Cox, 43.
But the lifelong Warrington Wolves fan said she'll also be purchasing some executive box seats to watch her beloved rugby team in luxury.
Donna has already bought her 20-year-old daughter, Bobbie-Jo, a £1,500 computer she had been "putting in all the hours extra" to pay for.
The mum-of-one said: “I was putting in all the hours extra I could to pay for Bobbie-Jo’s computer, which I have now bought.
“Our puppy has wrecked the garden so that can be sorted out, as will some new flooring in the kitchen. I also can’t wait for the holidays which we can now afford."
On her reaction to winning, she added: "The Betfred staff were brilliant, laughing along. It couldn’t have come at a better time, with my doing eighty-odd hours a week at work which is why we haven’t had time to celebrate properly yet.
“When we get the executive box we might get a visit from Blake Austin or Daryl Clark who are my favourite players.”
Knowing the family are huge Warrington Wolves fans, Betfred boss Fred Done arranged for the family to be presented with Wire shirts and a ball, all signed by the players, along with a bottle of champagne.
He said: “To win a life changing amount for less than the price of a Mars bar is fantastic. Good luck to Donna, who’s told me she’s going to have some posh holidays after splashing out on her garden.”
Bobbie-Jo is now hoping that her mum and young offender worker Russ - who have been together for 15 years - will get married with the winnings.
She said: “I would love to be a bridesmaid.
"They have been with each other long enough now, and they have no excuses any more about whether they can afford a wedding”.
