A father who has lived in the same council flat for 42 years has won a £5million mansion overlooking Lake Windermere.
Darren Thorpe, 53, from East London, has been in his flat since he was 11 years old, but is now the owner of a five-bedroom lakeside home.
His new pad is set within more than half an acre of landscaped ground with views across Windermere and comes with a separate two-storey boathouse and its own jetty.
The father-of-one, who bought his winning entry for just £15 as part of his Omaze subscription, has worked as a concierge in London for the past 30 years, saying his life has ‘often been a case of living paycheque to paycheque’.
To celebrate, he headed to his local pub, where his 21-year-old daughter Yolotzin works, to surprise her with the good news.
He said: ‘She didn’t believe me at first, things like this just don’t happen to normal people, well that’s what I used to think anyway.
‘Even though I’d just become a multimillionaire, we still got the bus to the pub, the money won’t go to my head, but the booze certainly did.
Darren Thorpe, 53, from East London, has been in his flat since he was 11 years old, but is now the owner of a spectacular five-bedroom lakeside home
Pictured: The council flat that Mr Thorpe has lived for 42 years
‘I don’t normally drink that much but we got bottles of champagne and some shots in to celebrate.
‘I think we got back at 2am. I woke up with a huge hangover on Saturday morning, but it was all worth it when I remembered I was a millionaire!’
The property comes mortgage-free, with all stamp duty and legal fees covered, and Mr Thorpe will also receive £250,000 in cash.
He said: ‘Now all the pressure is off. No more money worries, I’ll never have to think about how I’m going to get through the month ever again.
‘To say it’s life-changing would be a massive understatement. It’s not been an easy road – life’s had lots of ups and downs – this is definitely an up!
‘I never thought I’d own a house – let alone a £5million one. My entire flat would fit in the front room. To be honest, I’d have been happy with just the boathouse.’
He revealed he was in the middle of painting a friend’s summer house when Omaze first contacted him, believing ‘it must be a wind-up’.
‘But then I thought, I might as well pick up because at the very least it could get me out of painting the fence as well as the summer house,’ he said.
‘So I headed back home and the Omaze team knocked on my door, then the next thing I know I’m the owner of a £5 million house in the Lake District.
‘It was crazy, one minute you’re about to paint a fence, the next minute you’re a multimillionaire.
‘I thought I might pass out as I never expected it to be the house – especially as I’ve never won anything in my life before. I guess this makes up for 50 years of bad luck.’
The lakeside mansion comes with floor-to-ceiling windows, balconies and terraces framing uninterrupted views across Lake Windermere.
The ground floor offers generous living space including a reception hall, lounge, dining room and a large kitchen, along with a utility room and additional facilities.
The home is set within more than half an acre of landscaped ground with views across Windermere and comes with a separate two-storey boathouse and its own jetty.
The ground floor offers generous living space including a reception hall, lounge, dining room and a large kitchen, along with a utility room and additional facilities
Upstairs, there are five bedrooms and five bathrooms, including a main bedroom with en suite and dressing room
The detached boathouse sits beside the lake and includes a wet dock and jetty on the ground floor, with a day room, kitchenette and balcony above
Upstairs, there are five bedrooms and five bathrooms, including a main bedroom with en suite and dressing room.
Three of the main bedrooms enjoy lake views and open onto a balcony running the full length of the house.
Outside, the property sits within more than half an acre of landscaped grounds with a large driveway, double garage and electric gated entrance.
The detached boathouse sits beside the lake and includes a wet dock and jetty on the ground floor, with a day room, kitchenette and balcony above.
Mr Thorpe can choose to live in the house, rent it out for a supplementary income, or sell up whenever he wishes.
He said: ‘Long term I don’t know what I’ll do yet but I’m definitely going to enjoy this incredible place for a bit. I’ll host a big barbeque up here this summer with friends and family.
‘I’ll also book a holiday, but I better renew my passport or I won’t be going anywhere!
‘I’ll carry on working for a bit – but I reckon it’s looking like early retirement for me.
‘The £250,000 means if I want to, I could actually afford to stay here for years. It’s amazing to have that option.
‘Whatever I decide to do, it will change mine and my daughter’s lives forever. It’s an incredible feeling knowing I can give her the best possible start in life. I’m happiest for her.’
