Cancer survivor wins £500k in National Lottery exactly one year after surgery

A computer maintenance engineer is celebrating a £500,000 lottery win a year after having surgery for cancer.

John Lingard, from Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, had to have one of his kidneys removed last year to stop the spread of the disease, but has since been given a clean bill of health.

The 66-year-old said he felt like he "was on cloud nine" when he realised he had won £500,000 in the Thunderball draw 12 months to the day since his operation. Mr Lingard, who said he enjoys spending time in Tenerife, first experienced symptoms of his cancer on a flight back from the Canary Island last year.

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He plans to take his first week of unpaid leave since he started work at the age of 16 to go back and celebrate with friends there. "I visit Tenerife three or four times a year, but when I left in September I told friends I probably couldn’t make it back before early 2025," he said.

"Now, thanks to my Thunderball luck, I can afford to take a week off – unpaid – and head back for a little winter sun, and to celebrate with my friends over there. I may also do a little house-hunting while I’m on the island. It would be nice to have a bolthole for the future, and it will also be a way to share my good fortune with those closest to me who will be able to use it for their holidays too."

Mr Lingard bought a Lucky Dip ticket for the September 25 draw via the National Lottery app, and his winning numbers were 13, 15, 18, 30 and 33 with Thunderball number 7.

He recalled how he initially dismissed an automatic message congratulating him on his win because he had not seen an increase in his available funds. "I assumed there must be a lag or something on the system, so went to work and didn’t give it another thought," he said.

He continued: "Even when I logged on later that day to buy my EuroMillions ticket, I didn’t look more deeply into the message that popped up congratulating me on a win."

It wasn't until a full day later that he realised the extent of his fortune: "It was only 24 hours later that I finally read my messages and the penny started to drop, although not fully, because at first glance I thought it was £500.10."

The realisation hit him just as he was about to leave for the supermarket. "I was just on my way out the door, heading to the supermarket, but when I worked out that it was actually £500,000 plus £10 on another line," he said. "I decided driving wasn’t a good idea so walked to the local shop."

Overwhelmed with joy, he said, "I think I actually floated there – I certainly felt like I was on cloud nine!"

The lucky winner said: "I started playing when the National Lottery first began 30 years ago and, while all along I’ve believed that one day I would win big, now it’s happened it’s taken a bit of getting used to!"

Despite the life-changing sum, Mr Lingard, an occasional golfer, doesn't intend to retire just yet. "I’ve always been in work and, while I enjoy spending time with friends, and I’m partial to a round of golf, I’ll keep working, albeit part-time, for a while yet," he explained.

Having faced cancer, he emphasised the importance of appreciating every moment. "Having been through such a challenging time with my cancer diagnosis and treatment, I want to be sure I make the most of every moment, whether that’s work, rest or play," he said.

Mr Lingard celebrated his National Lottery win on Gorleston beach, a place of solace where he went after his initial diagnosis to "find some peace and process the implications of my treatment".

Reflecting on his journey, he said: "It’s crazy to think that at the start of the year I would come to the beach to find inner peace in all the turmoil of the treatment and my worries about the future. I couldn’t have dreamt that less than 12 months later I would be here celebrating a National Lottery win!"