Scratchcard winners swap world tour for UK 'staycation' campervan trips due to Covid-19 lockdown

Andrew and Paula Hancock had planned to take their son to the Tokyo Olympics, but will now head to Harrogate and Great Yarmouth instead
The pair, from Nottinghamshire, scooped their prize after buying a £5 Monopoly Millionaire scratchcard
PA
David Child4 August 2020

A couple who won a £1 million lottery scratchcard prize have been forced to trade in a world tour for campervan trips in Britain due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Andrew and Paula Hancock scooped their prize last year after buying a £5 Monopoly Millionaire scratchcard while rushing out to buy pet food for their pet cat, Shortcake.

Delighted by their luck, the pair, who live near Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, had planned to take their son 13-year-old Xavier to the Tokyo Olympics with their winnings.

But they instead had to change their holiday plans and head to the Lake District, Great Yarmouth and Harrogate instead due to the Covid-19 lockdown.

Mr Hancock, 47, said: “We had a couple of holidays planned prior to May time – Cyprus and Barcelona with friends – but we also had tickets for the Olympics in Tokyo.

“We were then going to fly from Tokyo to Bali, because that’s where we had our honeymoon, and then we were going to Darwin at the top of Australia and then further down into Western Australia.”

The couple, who sold their catering business after their jackpot win, said they wanted to take their son to the Olympics because he was a keen Judo fan.

Mrs Hancock, 44, added the pair had initially felt a "little bit down" due to the forced change of plans but were now resolved to the "make the most" of the situation.

"There’s lots of lovely places here to go and see and we can do day trips," she said.

“We’ve booked for Coniston Water in the Lake District, we’re going to go to Great Yarmouth or around that area, and we’re doing Harrogate next.”

Asked what the couple wanted to do next, Mrs Hancock added: “We’d love to do some glamping.

“We said just give ourselves this year off, don’t think about anything.

“But obviously, you do think when you’re sat at home all the time”.

 The couple picked up their winning scratchcard while rushing out to buy pet food for their pet cat, Shortcake
PA

The pair have also used their winnings to help others during lockdown, with the couple buying a pizza oven to make pizzas for their street to keep spirits high during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Everybody was still quite scared and we were all clapping every Thursday,” Mrs Hancock said, referencing the Clap for Carers campaign.

“We just wanted to do something nice so we sent out leaflets saying ‘we’re going to come and bring you a pizza’ and it was lovely.

“It was around 50 pizzas I think”.

The couple's ginger tom cat has also remained well-fed in recent months, Mrs Hancock said, adding the feline had “put some weight on” since their win.

Explaining why Shortcake had put on weight, Mrs Hancock said: “It’s because we’re at home so much.

“Before, we were out the house a lot of the time so he was out – but now, because of the lockdown, we’ve been at home and every time Andy stands up the cat goes to his bowl.”

“He has his normal food,” Mr Hancock said. “He likes Felix.”

It hasn't all been plain sailing for the six-year old lucky charm though - the couple recently had to cut Shortcake’s diet down from four pouches after hearing a family member only fed their cat one a day.