£15million Lotto couple jetted off to Florida the day after winning draw - leaving golden ticket stashed in a candle holder.

Follow @Mazana17
 

Alison and John Doherty from Renfrewshire, Scotland, won £14,671,343

They won on 2 July but went on pre-booked family holiday next day

They held on to their ticket and waited two weeks to have it validated

Mr Doherty says he will continue working as a plumber despite the win

Pair currently live in a £250,000 house and their son wants a new car

Mrs Doherty said: 'I was screaming, lying on the floor, shaking like a leaf'

A couple who won £15million on the lottery jetted off to Florida the day after winning the draw, leaving the golden ticket stashed in a candle holder.

John Doherty, 52, and his wife Alison, 50, found out they had won an incredible £14,671,343 following the lotto draw on July 2.

But that did not stop the couple of Elderslie, Renfrewshire from going on their pre-booked holiday. 

Joy: John, 52, and Alison Doherty, 50, found out they had won an incredible £14,671,343 following the lotto draw on July 2

Delight: The plumber and his wife have scooped a £15million Lotto jackpot - and jetted off to Florida the next day to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary leaving the golden ticket stashed in a candle holder (pictured)

 Celebrations: The happy couple were drenched in champagne after they celebrated their life-changing win

The couple from Elderslie, Renfrewshire, from going on a relaxing family holiday to Florida a day after they found out they had won

Mrs Doherty checked the ticket while at home eating lunch on the Sunday following the draw.

She said: 'My iPad was lying on the table so I decided I better check my ticket.

'When the first three numbers matched I actually thought 'Oh good I've won £25'. Then the fourth number matched and the fifth.

'When I realised I had all six numbers I couldn't believe it. I was screaming, lying on the floor, shaking like a leaf - just in complete shock.'

Mrs Doherty called husband John, who has his own plumbing business, to come home from work and broke the good news.

The mother-of-two said: 'He made me get on the phone to Camelot straight away. Waiting for the winner adviser to call me back was the longest hour of my life.

'When they did I was screaming again when the phone rang.'

Alison (pictured with her husband John) checked the ticket while at home eating lunch on the Sunday following the draw

 'When I realised I had all six numbers I couldn't believe it. I was screaming, lying on the floor, shaking like a leaf - just in complete shock,' said Mrs Doherty

 The couple decided they had to share their good news with someone as they knew they would be setting off on holiday the following day

Mr Doherty has said that he will continue to work despite the big win - and his son, 20, has asked for a new car as an upgrade from his Ford Fiesta. 

Mr Doherty, who runs his own plumbing business said: 'I enjoy my work and I've been doing it for 33 years.

'I've got a lot of customers that I'm loyal to and I basically work by myself as a subcontractor.

'At the moment, I'm going to carry on with it and it would be very hard to give it up.

'I enjoy what I do and I've been enjoying it for a long time. I was back at work yesterday so it really brings you down to earth.'

After winning, the couple decided they had to share their good news with someone as they knew they would be setting off on holiday the following day.

They called John's twin sister, Julie Thomson, and asked her to come round.

Mrs Doherty said: 'She thought we'd invited her round to have some cake but we just had to tell someone and say it out loud so we knew it was really happening.

'John is a practical joker so her first reaction was that it was a wind up.

'When I showed her the numbers on the iPad she burst into tears.'

Rather than take the precious piece of paper abroad with them, Mrs Doherty decided to hide it at home.

She explained: 'I put the original ticket inside a hurricane lantern candle holder I have in the my bedroom.

'I also made a photocopy and hid that in the box that John keeps his work boots in just in case. I wasn't taking any chances.'

They called John's twin sister, Julie Thomson, and asked her to come round. Mrs Doherty said: 'She thought we'd invited her round to have some cake but we just had to tell someone and say it out loud so we knew it was really happening

The couple's four-bedroom house in Renfrewshire, near Glasgow, which is estimated to be worth around £270K

Mrs Doherty said: 'When I realised I had all six numbers I couldn't believe it. I was screaming, lying on the floor, shaking like a leaf - just in complete shock.'

While their holiday was a surreal experience Alison still managed to splash out on her first post-win purchase - a Coach designer handbag.

Mrs Doherty said: 'I love handbags but this was $400. I walked around the store for about an hour before I worked up the courage to go to the cash desk.

'I also saw someone pull up to our hotel in a beautiful Jaguar so I'm tempted to make that our new car. We love Formula 1 and have never been to a Grand Prix and that is definitely on our wishlist along with a new house.

'We have two children and my son has also said he would love a new car.

Mrs Doherty called husband John, who has his own plumbing business, to come home from work and broke the good news. Pictured: The Nisa shop where John and Alison Doherty bought their lottery ticket

Mandeep Dhaliwal manager of the Nisa shop where John and Alison Doherty bought their lottery ticket

'He's asked for an Audi or a BMW but I will probably get him something more sensible. I am his mum after all.'

When the Doherty family found out they had scooped £14million in the lottery, they celebrated by ordering Hawaiian pizza from Domino's for £45.

The couple have two children, Ryan, 20, and Laura, 11. Ryan, a third year student of Psychology at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, asked his parents if he could get a new car.

He said: 'At first I was completely mind-blown and couldn't get my head around it at all.

'But the next thing that came into my head was 'oh my God, I could get a new car'.

'I was initially joking but then it came into my head that I actually could.

'I have a little Ford Fiesta at the moment but I'm looking for a wee upgrade.

'I think me and my mum have a bit of difference in opinion over what I should get.

'She doesn't think I should get anything too flashy or powerful but I'm thinking something more flashy and powerful. 

Alison and John bought their ticket from the Nisa Store, Main Street, Elderslie. Their winning numbers from the Lotto draw on Saturday 2 July were 3, 9, 16, 19, 24 and 43.

'I found out just before we went away on holiday. I'm surprised that I managed to keep it a secret for so long. I don't know how I managed but I did.

'It's not going to change me in any way. I'll still shop at ASDA and I'll keep living with my friends in a flat.'

Mrs Doherty is a former classroom assistant at Kilbarchan Primary School and John runs JDPS Plumbing Services in Renfrewshire.

The couple met when they were working in a Jaconelli's ice cream van as teenagers and celebrated their silver wedding anniversary this year.

They have lived together in their four bedroom house for over 20 years. 

They bought their ticket from the Nisa Store, Main Street, Elderslie. Their winning numbers from the Lotto draw on Saturday 2 July were 3, 9, 16, 19, 24 and 43.

Mrs Doherty checked the ticket while at home eating lunch on the Sunday following the draw. Earlier that morning she had joked that she could be 'walking around as a millionaire and not know it' 

While their holiday was a surreal experience Mrs Doherty still managed to splash out on her first post-win purchase - a Coach designer handbag

Mandeep Dhaliwal, 36, the manager of the Nisa store said: 'They're such a lovely couple and they're always in the shop.

'I remember Alison was in the shop the other week and had been painting her house so her outfit was completely covered in paint.

'She was only in to buy some milk but the guy in front of her bought two lucky dips in the lottery which put the idea in her head. It was meant to be her. It was fate.

'And obviously I hope they keep shopping at Nisa and maybe some of that luck will rub off on me.'

Neighbours of the new multi-millionaires did their best to hide their jealousy at the family for hitting the jackpot.

Yvonne Cheung, 29, a dispatcher for Hewlett Packard, said the Doherty's win gave her hope.

She said: 'You always hear of people down in England winning big and I just never thought it could be me until I found out someone we've known for 26 years has won.

'We've lived on the same street for 26 years and look out for each other and are very friendly to one another.

Mrs Doherty is a former classroom assistant at Kilbarchan Primary School and John runs JDPS Plumbing Services in Renfrewshire. Pictured: The lantern where they hid their ticket

'I've played the lottery for years but never won anything. Not even a couple of pounds.

'I'll need to get them to go down and buy a ticket for me so that some of their luck rubs off.

'I never thought anything of it when people were discussing it at work. I just went blank even when I heard the name 'Doherty'.

'I might not even go to work tomorrow, I might just sit at home and buy lots of lottery tickets.'

Jean Murray, 75, has lived across from the Dohertys since they moved in.

She said: 'I last saw them last night and they've kept very quiet about it.

'It's fabulous. They're very lucky. I'm very jealous of them. The grass is very much greener on the other side of the road.

'They're a very nice couple and always say 'Hi' when we see them.'

Another neighbour, who did not want to be named, was delighted for them.

She said: 'Bloody hell. Good for them. Best of luck to them. Good for them.

'I just know them in passing but they seem very nice whenever we speak in passing. My goodness, what's the chances of that happening again?

'My husband plays every week so hopefully lightning will strike twice.'  

THE LOTTERY WINNERS WHO CLAIM THEIR LIVES WERE RUINED BY THE WIN

Despite millions of people across the country dreaming of landing a huge win on the lottery, the Bayfords are just one example in a long-list of winners who say their lives have been ruined by the windfall.

So-called Lotto Lout Michael Carroll won nearly £10m on the lottery in 2002, but was forced to take a job in a biscuit factory for £204 a week just ten years later. 

His ignominious journey from rags to riches and back again included squandering money on fast cars, huge quantities and drugs and drink and has even included two spells in prison.

Michael Carroll (left) won nearly £10m on the lottery, but was forced to take a job in a biscuit factory for £204 a week just ten years later. Callie Rogers (right) tried to commit suicide after her win 

And at one stage he was so broke after blowing so much money on prostitutes and gambling that he was forced to sleep rough in a forest while looking for work.  

Callie Rogers was Britain's youngest winner, scooping £1.9m in 2003. But, after giving up her job, she frittered most of her money on parties, drugs, cosmetic surgery, holidays and gifts. She soon became so depressed that she tried to commit suicide.

Roger and Lara Griffiths, from Wetherby, West Yorkshire, won £1.8m in 2005. But their fortune spelled the end of their 14-year marriage and Mr Griffiths was eventually left with just £7 in his bank account.

Iorworth Hore won £7.2m after buying a Lotto Extra ticket on the day he was released from jail in 2004. He was ordered to pay his victim nearly £100,000. 

Mark Gardiner, a glazier from Hastings, won a half share of £22.6million. As soon as the news was out, he says life was ruined. He fell out with friends, split from his wife.  

Angela Kelly, 46, who won £35million on the EuroMillions draw in 2007, also said her life was ruined by the win. She married her long-term partner in a £40 secret wedding in 2013.  

For more News and Entertainments, follow Us at our Social Network :

Follow @Mazana17