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Former milkman wins £4m mansion in prize draw

David Roper and his wife Janny stand in front of a large house with a swimming pool. David, who is wearing a checked shirt and dark blue trousers, has his right arm aloft and a big smile on his face. Janny is wearing a red dress and smiling at the camera as she holds a black key fob with the word Omaze written on it.

47 minutes ago

A former milkman says he can barely believe his luck after winning a £4m mansion and £250,000 cash in a prize draw.

David Roper, 58, from Rotherham, found out he had won the six-bedroom home in Surrey – complete with a heated outdoor pool and tennis court – at the end of a busy week at work.

He said he had been busy ” thinking about getting to the pub for 5pm and a nice cold pint of Guinness” when the call came to tell him he had won the house in the Omaze draw.

“I wasn’t sure I hadn’t just dreamt the whole thing, it felt so surreal I couldn’t believe it myself,” said Roper, who admitted his new home was “quite the upgrade” from his current bungalow.

Roper, who lives with his wife, Janny, 44, and their border collie Rosie, four, said: “I’ve never won anything before in my life. I suppose I’ve just been saving it all up for this.”

He said he was in such disbelief that he did not even buy a round of drinks for the other customers, when he eventually made it to the pub four hours later than scheduled.

“I’ll definitely get a round in now I’ve seen the place for myself and know it’s 100% real,” he said.

Roper said he had been taking part in prize draws with Omaze for four years before his big win.

Looking ahead, he added: “This win has changed everything for us. I don’t know what we’ll do long-term yet, but we’ll definitely come and enjoy it and host our friends and family.

“I’ve got fantastic options available now, each one something I could never have imagined. I might even retire early.”

Roper, who is originally from Lancashire, started his own milk round at 21 and ran it for 10 years before returning to education to study mechanical engineering.

He has spent the last 14 years working in engineering sales.

“I never dreamed I’d end up owning a house like this – I’ve gone from a milk float to a mansion,” said Roper, whose new property also features £170,000 worth of furnishings, gardens, stables and a barn.

“This time last week I was in the office staring at spreadsheets, now I’m standing by my very own swimming pool and tennis court.

“It’s absolutely crazy, what a difference a week makes.”