Trowbridge community stalwart John Alford is on cloud nine after scooping £1.437,220 on the Lotto.

The 76-year-old new millionaire, who lives on the Studley Green estate, struck it lucky in Saturday’s draw and is planning to take 20 members of his family away to Florida, in America, to celebrate his big win.

Father-of-two Mr Alford, who lives with wife Pauline, also 76, said: “It is just fantastic, I’m 76 and I just couldn’t have asked for anything better at this stage in my life, I’m over the moon.”

The couple, who have three grown up children, nine gradchildren and three great-grandchildren, have been playing The National Lottery since the very first draw in November 1994: and on Saturday struck lucky not just once, but three times.

“We won £2 with a £100k Yellow Scratchcard, another £5 on Thunderball and more than £1.4m with a Lotto Lucky Dip. You could say Saturday the 13th was a very lucky day for us,” said Mr Alford, who has been retired for more than 10 years after a working life spent as a fireman on the footplate of steam engines with the old Great Western Railway, a long-distance lorry driver with the former Watney Brewery and a Transport and General Workers’ Union convenor.

“Pauline and I usually buy two Lucky Dips for every Saturday Lotto draw and check the numbers as they are drawn. But last Saturday we left the tickets on a window sill in the lounge at home and didn’t look at the numbers until the following morning.
 

“When I saw my numbers come up on teletext it was one of those moments when time stands still and you find it difficult to understand what’s going on.

“I can tell you now that it’s a wonderful, wonderful feeling knowing that we won’t have a financial care in the world for the rest of our days, and we can look after our family, too, and let them share in our luck. It’s just fantastic.”

Mr Alford changed the habit of a lifetime when buying his winning ticket on Saturday – queuing up at the Asda store in Trowbridge.

“There were a lot of people in the queue and I almost walked away to go to my usual store down the road, but something made me stay and here I am, a big winner. Sometimes fate works like that, I suppose.” he said.

Matt Gill, deputy manager, at Asda Trowbridge, said: “We were all glad to have played a part in him and his family’s great fortune, and hope it’s brought some extra-special sparkle to their lives.

“We wish them all the best for the future, and expect to see them back here shopping again soon.”

Top of the new millionaire couple’s shopping list is the fortnight family holiday to Florida, taking all the grandchildren and great-grandchildren. “We’re a very close family and I’ve always dreamed of taking everyone to Florida and going on the roller coasters,” added Mr Alford. “I’m a big kid at heart.

“But Pauline and I will also look to move home and maybe buy a bungalow close to our daughter, Debra.

“I am also going to buy a new car, something big enough to be able to transport the grandchildren around in. It’s all a dream come true.”

News of Mr Alford's win has delighted his neighbours and all those in the Studley Green Tenant and Residents Association (TARA), which he helped set up in 1993 while he also served as chairman of Selwood Housing.

Neighbour Betty Wragg, who has served with Mr Alford on the residents' association and at Selwood, said: “This is such great news for John, for me it’s the crowning of the king and nobody deserves it more than John.”

In recent months, Mr Alford, TARA chairman, has suffered disappointment as Selwood revised their tenancy involvement bringing to an end Selwood Tenants’ Voice, which he was a former chairman of, as well as taking over the running of the Manor Road Resource Centre, which he’d help to run.

The centre provides a computer club, a credit union workshop, coffee mornings and a Friday TARA drop-in session for residents.

“He is Mr Studley Green, there’s not one person on the estate who doesn’t know John and his lengthy service with the TARA helping to bring good to the area deserves great praise,” said Wiltshire and Trowbridge town councillor Graham Payne.

“I’m delighted for John and his family, as he’s had a difficult couple of years, so I wish him and his family every contentment for the future.”

It is thought Selwood Housing tenant, Mr Alford’s winning ticket was a lucky dip and the millionaire was shocked to discover he’d won the life-changing amount of money.

Wiltshire and Trowbridge town councillor Jeff Osborn said: “This is absolutely great news and just shows you the way life can work out. This really couldn’t have happened to a nicer bloke.”

Mr Alford is well-known around the area and his son, Mike Alford, has been manager of Trowbridge Town Football Club, since January 2011.

A spokesperson for Selwood Housing said: "It's amazing news and exciting to know someone who has won the lottery. We're so pleased for John and his family and hope that they enjoy their holiday to Florida. We'd like to wish them all the best in spending their winnings."