A Crawley man who has been unable to work due to an injury has described his £3.6 million lottery win as a "Godsend".

Stuart Hunt, a 33-year-old roofer from Crawley, West Sussex, tore a ligament in his knee while playing football with his daughter 10 weeks ago and has been forced to live off his savings ever since.

The father of three school-age children, Mr Hunt and his girlfriend, Nicky Martin, 29, celebrated their £3,676,642 windfall from Saturday night's draw by cracking open champagne - and said the money has come at just the right time.

"It's been a Godsend really, hasn't it? Unbelievable. I don't know.

Hopefully good things come in the future," said Mr Hunt, who is still coming to terms with his new millionaire status.

"It's still all overwhelming to be honest. I don't think it's really going to sink in until maybe we do start spending some money," he said.

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Top of the wish-list for the couple is a family holiday and a flashy car - luxuries they could only have dreamed of in the past.

 

Mr Hunt said: "Just big massive family holidays and stuff like that - taking the girls somewhere that it might take you years and years to save up for, like to Florida... take the kids to Disney World."

Adding: "I'd love a Range Rover Sport - a nice white one.

"There's going to be so many opportunities out there now and things that we could never afford before."

The couple, who have regular Lotto numbers, might have missed out on the win had they not sent Ms Martin's sister to get the ticket for them with the numbers scribbled down on a piece of paper.

Ms Martin, a full-time mother, learned the life-changing news when she was out at the shop with her two youngest children on Sunday afternoon, and was informed at the till when her ticket was checked.

"I thought he was having me on. It was just a weird feeling. It was just weird," she said.

Ms Martin rang her boyfriend and abandoned her shopping before rushing home to share the big moment with him.

The couple are determined to enjoy their wealth but are aware of the stress and pressures that come with it.

Mr Hunt said: "It's a very nice feeling. There's people out there who have won more than £3.6 million and still become bankrupt.

"So there are people out there that do it, but hopefully we're not one of them."

To which Ms Martin quickly replied: "Well, we won't be one of them!"

One of the couple's plans is to perhaps buy or build their first house, and Mr Hunt joked he would probably let someone else do the roof.

Having been off for over two months, the roofer was set to return to work this week, and despite his wealth, he did just that yesterday.

"I did take a day off immediately after I found out I had won but I was back at work the next day.

"I don't think my clients would appreciate me downing tools straight away but this win will also open up new experiences for me - I've always fancied turning my hand to property development."

Before he gets busy with business, Mr Hunt hinted that he will treat their friends and family, who are said to be "over the moon".

He said: "We've always had a close and supportive family anyway. We might treat everybody to a family holiday or something like that."

At the press photo call, members of the media laughed when Mr Hunt pointed out that one journalist had dropped a five pound note.

The winning numbers from Saturday's draw were 1, 11, 12, 13, 35, 42 and the ticket was bought from Martins, Bewbush, Crawley.