A mum who scooped half-a-million pounds on a top TV quiz show has made her first purchase - a copy of the Argus.

Just hours after netting the bumper payout on Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, Kate Heusser's husband, Peter, raced to his news-agents at 6.30am and grabbed Sussex's favourite paper.

It cost him just 30p, leaving the happy couple with the grand total of £499,999.70p in the bank.

Peter couldn't wait to read how cool Kate, 44, from Rustington, near Littlehampton, came within one question of hitting the £1 million jackpot.

Newsagent John Allen said Peter, 58, gazed at a picture of his wife clasping her hands to her face in delight as quizmaster Chris Tarrant handed her the golden cheque.

Mr Allen, co-owner of CJ's Food and News in Guildford Road, Rustington, said: "He came up to the counter and I said to him, 'The front page of The Argus looks good'.

"He seemed on top of the world. He and his wife have been coming to buy their papers here for about a year and they are a lovely couple."

Kate and Peter are rapidly coming to terms with celebrity status after appearing on the This Morning show with Chris and her children Edward, 14, and Greg, 11.

Kate, the first woman to win £500,000 on Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, paid tribute to Ian Lawes, from Brighton, who gave her the right answer to the £64,000 question when she opted to phone-a-friend.

While chatting to presenters John Leslie and Gaynor Faye, Ian suddenly appeared from behind the studio curtain and kissed her cheek.

He told millions of viewers of the moment when Kate was asked: "What is a cassowary?" Ian answered "bird" and she was on her way to a fortune. He said: "There was no pressure at that moment.

"The pressure was beforehand when you have 30 seconds to be told a question and answer it. But afterwards I thought, 'What have I done?'. I just rushed for the dictionary to look up the word."

Peter, a kitchen designer, said: "I couldn't have answered that question but I am very compulsive so I would have gambled."

Kate, a trained solicitor who gave up her job 11 years ago to spend more time with her children, was due to start a job as a postwoman in a bid to boost the family's income.

But she quit before she started and will go house-hunting instead.

Kate's round has been taken on by Carole Collins, who was cycling around the streets of Rustington yesterday delivering hundreds of letters.

Carole, a post lady for 15 years, said: "I like the job but I am not quite sure what I would be doing if I had won half-a-million. But good luck to the lady. I think she did really well."

Bosses at the Worthing delivery office were delighted with Kate's success.

Manager John Meeten said: "Although we didn't know her, all of us in the office were rooting for her to win. We are over the moon for her and her family. We are disappointed she will not be joining us, but delighted for her all the same."

Kate now plans to treat Peter with a trip to see a "live" Grand Prix.