The winners of a massive £101m EuroMillions jackpot – Dave Dawes and his fiancée Angela Dawes – were spotted on a shopping spree at designer stores in London’s exclusive Bond Street this week.
The couple had promised to live with a little more “glamour” after winning the third-largest lottery jackpot in UK history.
They were seen looking in the windows of London jewellers, and Ms Dawes checked out some Gucci handbags during their shopping trip to the exclusive shopping precinct.
But shopping isn’t the only thing on the minds of Britain’s latest multi-millionaires.
Their struggling friend, factory worker and father of three, Andy Smith, is at the top of the list of 20 friends they have promised to make instant millionaires.
Mr Smith earns £23,000 a year at the food plant where Mr Dawes worked as a supervisor.
A neighbour of Mr Smith’s said: “Andy has had a smile on his face like a Cheshire cat all week. He’s a typical working-class man struggling to make ends meet and provide for his family.”
But not everyone is convinced about the couple’s generosity. Ms Dawes’ ex-husband, John Leeman, claimed she had left him and her son with £20,000 worth of debts after having a secret affair with Mr Dawes.
Her teenage son Steven has also claimed his mother abandoned him when she started her new life with Mr Dawes.
Mr Dawes’ son, Michael, 26, learnt of the lottery win just a week into his new job in military intelligence.
“It was a massive shock. I was just glad it was good news,” he said.
“When someone rings you out of the blue and they sound really serious you expect it to be bad news.
“But I couldn’t believe it when he told me they had won the lottery.
“I am so happy for the both of them. It couldn’t happen to nicer people. It is nice not having to worry about them now.
“He raised me and a sibling mostly on his own and sometimes things were very tough.
“He deserves this for being so hard-working and humble. We have had our fair share of stuff to deal with.”
When collecting their massive £101m prize earlier this week, the couple spoke of their plans to buy a new engagement ring to replace the £800 one Ms Dawes already owns.
They also wanted to buy a house in Chelsea and a home in Portugal, where they plan to marry next year. Ms Dawes said the wedding ceremony would be a “bit more glamorous now”.
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