A grandmother who played a lucky dip via the National Lottery app has scooped more than £1,000,000. 

Di Foster, 63 from Reading, won £1,049,669 when she bought a lucky dip ticket online in April 2021.

Her wish has now come true to buy a home for herself and one for each of her daughters just around the corner.

She said: “As soon as the win was confirmed, buying both my girls a house and one for me too became the priority. It’s taken a while because we wanted to live close to each other, so I can see them and my grandkids as much as possible, but finally we each have our own home and the best part is we’re all within a five minute walk of one another."

Now that it's the summer holidays, Di gets to spend quality time with her four grandchidlren.

“Some people might think a summer holiday with four grandsons running in and out of your home is a recipe for chaos, but for me, it’s a dream come true. I’ve set up the paddling pool and sandpit on my new lawn, and we’ve been exploring in the woods opposite", she said.

“This summer holiday is certainly very different to those before the win. Before that life changing moment we were spread across Reading and I’d need to catch a bus to see my girls and their boys, and with my poorly knees that wasn’t fun. And while they would come to me for a sleepover, I had a one-bedroom flat with no outside space and certainly nowhere for a sandpit!”

While Di is thoroughly enjoying nanny daycare in the summer holidays, her daughter's Kelly, 28 and Jodie 24 are also loving having mum just around the corner.

Jodie said: “Mum has always been there for us offering help and support wherever she could, but using her win to buy us each a home shows she really is one in a million. While mum had the winning ticket, in many ways Kelly and I feel like the real winners as we now own our homes, and that’s something none of us believed could happen just over a year ago.

“And the icing on the cake? Plenty of summer holiday fun with nanny has meant a little peace and quiet for us!”

When Di found out she won she asked her daughter to 'pour her a glass of brandy'

She said: "As the lady on the phone confirmed I was a millionaire - I just burst into tears of joy.

“I still pinch myself when I look back at how life has changed for us all, whether it’s a new bike or a home to call our own, we are all in a much better position. And one bonus I didn’t think of when I swapped my one-bedroom flat for a three bedroom house, running up and down the stairs after my grandsons has done wonders for my dodgy knees!”

Di played the ‘Must Be Won’ draw, where the jackpot has to be won either by one winner or the jackpot rolls down and is shared by all cash winners.

Di was one of three winners who shared the Lotto jackpot that night. The winning Lotto numbers for the draw on Saturday 24 April, 2021 were 16, 24, 29, 30, 32, 38 and the Bonus Ball was 1.