Nurses’ syndicate scoops £1m in lottery

Each member of The Winning Nurses Syndicate pocketed more than £66,666 after matching one of the two Euromillions UK Millionaire Maker codes.

The group from Cleland Hospital in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, have been playing together for three years and the £1 million windfall tops their previous biggest win which was previously £12.

Thirteen members of the 15-strong syndicate opted to share news of their good fortune with June Fraser, 58, in charge of checking tickets each week.

She said “I checked the tickets using the National Lottery app on Saturday morning.

“I scanned the first one and it wasn’t a winner – I actually thought that was the ticket for Friday night’s draw and very nearly didn’t scan the second one as I thought it was for a future draw.

“When I did and it told me that we’d won £1 million I thought the app must be broken – I couldn’t believe it.

“My first phone call was to my ward where I managed to get hold of two of the other members who were working.

“I phoned a few other members but I was just too hyper to call everyone at that point. I still went into work later that afternoon though.”

When June went to work she pinned the winning ticket inside her nurse’s uniform.

The win means the nurses will spend money on trips to Canada, Sri Lanka, cruises, new cars and even a motorbike.

For Carol Hamlyn, 59, it means she can have a dream retirement.

She said: “I am due to retire in November and this win will be life-changing for me.

“I was going to have to keep doing a few shifts but now I have financial security and I can also look after my four children and my three grandchildren.”

The first thing the lucky winners are spending their cash on is a bumper batch of cakes and goodies to treat the staff, patients and families at Cleland Hospital.

The Winning Nurses Syndicate bought their EuroMillions ticket from the Co-op store on Station Road in Shotts.

Their winning ticket was made in a draw on April 20.