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Winners of £115million Euromillions jackpot reveal they've given half away

8 December 2020, 11:04

Frances and Patrick won the Euromillions last year. Picture: PA

Former lottery winner Frances Connolly helped out 175 families when she won the jackpot two years ago.

A couple who won a whopping £115million in the Euromillions have revealed that they have already given half of it away.

Frances Connelly, a former teacher, and her husband Patrick won the jackpot two years ago in January 2019, and they have donated around £60million of their winnings to 175 families.

Speaking about her winnings, former teacher Frances told The Sun: "We won £114,969,775.70 and we have given away more than half.

Frances and Patrick won £115million. Picture: PA

“That’s £60million-worth of love. And the thing that makes me even happier is that every single person we gave money to has passed some of it on to other people. I can’t think of a day since winning the Lottery that I haven’t smiled."

What's more, the couple revealed that they have taken out insurance that means if they die in the next six years, none of the people they have helped will have to pay tax on the money.

They have given away £60million to help other families. Picture: PA

Frances added: "I’ve had more joy from changing lives than buying jewellery. I knew from the start that I’d never become part of the jet set.

"Patrick joked for years that if we ever won the Lottery, he’d take away my mobile phone and never let me use the computer again because I’d give away the lot."

Frances also opened up about the day they found out they'd won the massive sum, revealing that she celebrated with a cup of tea.

Frances celebrated her win with a cup of tea in January 2019. Picture: PA

She revealed that Patrick, 56, had purchased a Lucky Dip ticket online at their home in Moira, County Down, and their numbers - 1, 8, 11, 25, 28, along with stars four and six - all matched.

Frances said: "I was doing my knitting on the sofa when Patrick went on his laptop to check the results.

"He checked and double-checked, then said, ‘I think I’ve got some good news for you — we’ve won’. I asked him how much we’d won, and he said, ‘No, you don’t understand — we’ve WON!’

The couple won the lottery two years ago. Picture: PA

"He turned his laptop around and I could see £114million. I thought, ‘With our luck there will be 114million winners today and we’ll have all won a quid each!’

"We sat staring at the laptop, then when the news sank in, we had a hug and celebrated with a cup of tea.

At 1am Patrick had an email from Camelot. As soon as we realised it was true, we knew we wouldn’t sleep."

Frances added that she made a list of 50 friends and family they wanted to help, before deciding to extend this to 175 people in total.

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