An ex-Para who says the best thing he’s ever won is a £5 bottle of wine has bagged a £4.5 million seaside mansion.
Daren Bell also pocketed £100,000 in cash after paying just a tenner to enter the Omaze Million Pound House Draw.
A Dream Come True
He now has the keys to an ultra-modern five-bed North Norfolk mansion – complete with a wellness centre, heated swimming pool and four-bed guest cabin.
Celebrating in Style
The 54-year-old veteran from Bournemouth said: "The first thing I did was head straight to the local pub to celebrate, and of course I got a few rounds in!
"When I woke up on Saturday I thought I must’ve eaten too much strong cheese and dreamt the whole thing, but now I've seen the house it's finally starting to sink in.
"The house is magnificent, I was half expecting the palm trees to fold down and see Thunderbird 2 to pop out from under the swimming pool!"
A Home with a View
The home boasts coastal views over the idyllic Blakeney salt marshes and harbour out towards the North Sea.
And Daren – who is moving in with four cats and a goldfish – can enjoy the stunning vistas from his very own Zen zone.
Top-of-the-Line Amenities
Inside is a steam room, yoga space, and gym with 'Technogym' equipment including a treadmill, weights system, and Peloton exercise bike for the ex-paratrooper to keep in shape.
All rooms have direct access to the private and enclosed gardens, with a terraced entertaining area complete with kiln fireplace.
A Cinematic Experience
The house also features a lounge, set between the ground and first floor, which has a large framed view out to sea.
The principal bedroom has twin dressing areas and bathrooms, the first floor also has three further double bedrooms with en suites and a balcony.
Meanwhile, a cinema room has been built in the 'Everyman' mold with acoustic walls, doors, and ceiling.
A Life-Changing Win
The extraordinary win is all the sweeter for Daren who spends his life inside multi-million houses through his job in facilities management.
Daren is originally from Watford but moved to Bournemouth 24 years ago.
Endless Possibilities
Daren is free to either live in the incredible house, rent it out for a supplementary income or sell it to become a cash multi-millionaire.
Local estate agents estimate that the property could achieve a long term annual rental value of a whopping £60,000-a-year.
Speaking of his plans, he said: "I think I’m going to move in and enjoy it for a bit, but I may decide to rent it out or I might just sell up and bank the cash.
"Whatever I decide to do, it’s totally life-changing and the best dilemma I’ve ever had!"
Draw entries for the Omaze Million Pound House Draw, Devon are available now at www.omaze.co.uk. The draw closes on Saturday 30th September 2023 for online entries and Tuesday 3rd October 2023 for postal entries.
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