Devon mum wins £4m luxury home – husband thought they’d won sausages

A Devon mum of two has hit the jackpot after winning a £4million luxury home and £250,000 in cash with the Omaze draw – but her husband was initially drooling at the prospect of a lifetime supply of sausages!

Emily Ward, 48, was gobsmacked when she won the luxury property charity draw and a palatial four-bedroom home in Cheshire’s exclusive Alderley Edge, where the neighbours include Premiership footballers and celebrities.

The house comes with panoramic countryside views, a full indoor leisure suite including pool, gym and sauna and landscaped gardens.

This particular draw campaign has raised £3.7m for Omaze’s charity partner, Anthony Nolan, which matches stem cell donors to people with blood cancer or blood disorders and will help deliver life-saving transplants to patients.

Above: A delighted Emily Ward inside her new Omaze draw home. Credit: Omaze

Bizarrely, Emily and her husband Richard, 60, had just bought a new camper van and were out shopping for tent pegs when neighbours texted a WhatsApp chat to say a group had knocked at their door and one had a picture of a sandwich on his t-shirt.

“The neighbour thought I’d won a lifetime supply of food,” said Emily.

“They posted in the WhatsApp group and I replied, ‘If it’s not Omaze or Premium Bonds, I’m not interested.’ A few minutes later, Omaze were on the doorstep.”

“My husband thought we might have won a lifetime’s supply of sausages — which he was genuinely thrilled about. I said we can cook all the sausages he wants in the new house, so my husband is doubly happy!

“To celebrate, we went to the pub that night and then for a nice dinner with friends the next evening, where we splashed out on a special bottle of champagne!”

READ NEXT: Bideford Asda worker wins big with £160,000 Maserati

Above and below: Inside the luxurious four-bedroom home in Cheshire’s ‘Golden Triangle’. Credit: Omaze

The couple’s new home is set in the heart of one of the UK’s most exclusive and desirable residential areas - the ‘Golden Triangle’ - which also encompasses the affluent villages of Wilmslow and Prestbury.

Famous residents past and present include Cristiano Ronaldo, Sir David and Victoria Beckham, Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, Peter Crouch and Abbey Clancy.

As with other Omaze draws for luxury homes, the house comes mortgage-free, with all legal fees covered. Emily also has £250,000 in cash to help settle in and maintain the house, with the option to live there, rent it out for up to £20,000 a month or sell it to become a multi-millionaire.

Emily and Richard haven’t decided whether to sell or keep the house yet and she said: “We’ll definitely enjoy the house for a family holiday — maybe we’ll enjoy a big Christmas up here.

“We’re so excited to experience a house like this because it’s not the kind of place you get to visit every day, let alone own!

“People say that money can’t buy time, but winning a house worth millions means we can finally work less and spend more time together.

“This win will give us the freedom to go on adventures. We’d actually just bought a campervan to try and go away more as a family — it’s fair to say winning this house is a bit of an upgrade!”

Above and below: The property has its own pool, gym and sauna. Credit: Omaze

The couple, who have a large family between them - Richard has three grown-up children in their 30s and four grandchildren - are looking forward to hosting in the luxury kitchen and stunning outdoor terrace area.

Emily added: “This win means we can think about cutting back on work and just enjoying spending more time as a family.

“I’ve always said if I ever won something like this, I’d focus on enjoying life properly. Now that dream’s suddenly a reality.”

The money raised will help fund the Anthony Nolan Cell Collection Centre in Nottingham - delivering lifesaving transplants to patients faster.

Henny Braund MBE, chief executive of Anthony Nolan, said: “We know just how precious time is with the people we love and we’re thrilled that our partnership with Omaze has raised an incredible £3.7m for Anthony Nolan, helping us get lifesaving stem cells to people with blood cancers and blood disorders.

“It will mean the running costs of the Cell Collection Centre will be covered for the next 18 months – providing 1,850 urgently needed lifesaving stem cell donations, each one giving a patient more time with the people they love - and ultimately 1,850 more chances to save a life.”

The partnership was backed by Oscar-winning actor Olivia Colman CBE, a long-time patron of the charity, who supported the campaign in memory of her friend Pip.

Draw entries for the Omaze Million Pound House Draw, Cornwall, are available now at https://omaze.co.uk/pages/cornwall-v

The Grand Prize Draw closes on Monday, August 25 for online entries and August 27 for postal entries.

People who enter online by midnight on Sunday, August 10 (or August 12 by post) are also in with the chance of winning an early bird prize of a VW California T7 Campervan plus £100,000 cash, worth over £180,000 combined.

For full terms and conditions, see www.omaze.co.uk. No purchase necessary to enter. Over 18s and UK residents only.