His good fortune began on Christmas Day. James Clarkson, 20, decided to buy five tickets for the first draw in 2025 after winning £120 in the Lotto Christmas draw, ultimately winning £7.5 million.

Clarkson, a trainee gas engineer from Carlisle, discovered he had won the jackpot while staying the night at his girlfriend's house on January 4.

He said he woke up early on Sunday to check he had won after receiving news he had won via the National Lottery app. "I opened it immediately but saw nothing at first. Then I scrolled down and saw that I had matched all six main Lotto numbers and hit the jackpot, taking my winnings to £7,533,329."

The former bricklayer left school during the Covid-19 pandemic and can't believe his luck. "I thought I was dreaming."

His girlfriend was also skeptical. After he woke her and showed her the message, she "gave a bleary-eyed look" denying she had won, then rolled over and went back to sleep, he said.

Then he called his father, who asked him to go home. He sat on the corner of his parents' bed with his brother Thomas, 24, waiting for the National Lottery phone number to come through.

It wasn't until 9 a.m., when he confirmed his victory by phone with officials, that he finally admitted he had won. "I think I just started laughing," he said. "I thought, 'This is crazy!'"

He said he immediately started celebrating with his family. "I have a big family and we're all very close."

Word spreads quickly. “We all celebrated with a roast beef dinner and champagne at my grandma and grandpa’s house afterwards.”

Despite his victory, Clarkson had no plans to quit his job and was back at work first thing Monday morning to work alongside his father, Stephen. "The day after I found out I had won, I was in the cold in a blocked gutter. It's a bit harsh, but that's the reality. I'm not going to stop working, I'm too young."

He hopes to qualify as a heating engineer and "go from there".

He said he needed a purpose in his life. "And Dad wouldn't let me not work. He said there are a lot of millionaires still working and you need a reason to get up every day."

Clarkson randomly selected his winning numbers - 16, 19, 22, 24, 27 and 35.

So far he has used his winnings to buy an all-inclusive luxury vacation to Cape Verde, a Gucci bag for his girlfriend and two new designer jackets for himself. He plans to pay off his parents' mortgage, buy Manchester City season tickets for him and his family and buy himself a new car, possibly an Audi.

"If you drive a cold work truck all day long, going from job to job, you understand," he said, praising the car's comfort, steering and heated seats. "I realize how bad that sounds. Not many people my age can afford car insurance, let alone drive a car like this."

His parents seemed "really overwhelmed" when he told them he planned to pay off his mortgage. "We're close and they've been there for me. This win isn't just for me, I want to make sure it benefits all of us."