I sat in a pub with my dog and had a pint of Guinness after winning a £4m mansion
David sat in a pub in disbelief accompanied by his furry friend.
A former Lancashire milkman has won a £4,000,000 Surrey mansion along with £250,000 in cash and says being four hours late to the pub was well worth it, as the delay left him "four million pounds up".
David Roper, 58, who currently lives in a bungalow in Rotherham, has won the latest Omaze Million Pound House Draw and is now the proud owner of a spectacular six-bedroom home set within five acres of landscaped grounds, complete with a heated outdoor swimming pool and tennis court.
David, originally from Leyland, was looking forward to a cold pint of Guinness after a long week at work - when the Omaze team called him to reveal the life-changing news.
Despite becoming a multi-millionaire he didn't get a round in when he eventually made it to his local, as he couldn’t believe what had just happened - and didn’t think anyone else would believe it either.
He said the only one there who knew about his transformational win was his loyal dog Rosie.
His luxurious property comes mortgage-free, with all stamp duty and legal fees covered, plus £170,000 worth of furnishings.
David has also been awarded a whopping £250,000 in cash to help him settle in and can choose to live in the house, rent it out for a supplementary income, or sell up whenever he wishes to become a cash multi-millionaire.
David, who bought his winning entry for just £50 as part of his Omaze subscription, has been entering since 2022.
He and his wife of 13 years, Janny, 44, from Thailand have lived in their three-bedroom bungalow in Rotherham for 13 years, sharing it with border collie Rosie, 4, a former sheepdog.
A stunned David said: “It was just another busy Friday at work, all I was thinking about was getting to the pub for 5pm and a nice cold pint of Guinness.
“But then the Omaze team called me, and before I knew it I was the owner of a £4 million mansion!
“Winning did mean I was four hours late for the pub, but I was also £4 million up, so I can't complain.
“I didn't get a round in though, not because I didn't want to, but because I couldn't bring myself to tell anyone. I wasn't sure I hadn't just dreamt the whole thing, it felt so surreal I couldn't believe it myself.
“The only one there who knew was my dog Rosie, but I'll definitely get a round in now I've seen the place for myself and know it’s one hundred percent real.”
He added: “I couldn't sleep that night and was up until five in the morning, shame there wasn't an England game on so I had something to watch!
“My wife was away at a festival the night I found out, but I was up later than her as just too excited to sleep! I kept it a secret until she got back, and when I surprised her with the news she was convinced I was winding her up.
“I showed her the pictures on my phone and she immediately loved it - but she loves it even more in real life.
”On the home itself, David said: "This place is astonishing. When I was younger I used to pretend the local swimming pool actually belonged to me. Now I don't have to pretend anymore, because I've got my very own heated pool!
“Going from our bungalow in Rotherham to this is quite the upgrade. And the magnificent grounds are like having Disneyland on the doorstep for my dog Rosie.
"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.”
David's new home retains its period charm with red brick and red tile exterior, sash windows and a galleried staircase, while offering generous modern family living across three floors.
Outside, the property sits within five acres of grounds featuring the heated swimming pool, tennis court, formal gardens and meadow paddock, stables, barn and garage.