£1m EuroMillions win saves couple's home

But when a dose of flu confined disabled Mr Streets, 61, to his Scarborough bungalow he had time on his hands to play the Lottery – and scooped 1m.

His win on the EuroMillions Millionaire Raffle Draw will allow him and his wife Sandra, 62, a care worker, to pay off the mortgage they have struggled with since he lost out financially because of a former employer going under.

However, Mr Streets, who now works as a manager for Scarborough's Dale Power, says he has no plans to give up work.

He is due back today – the same day the 1m, won by a 2 online stake, is due in his account. "It should be an interesting morning," he said.

Cash problems forced the couple to put their mortgage on interest-only. But despite scrimping and saving and not taking a holiday for five years, they had no means of paying off the capital.

But then Mr Streets went down with flu.

He said: "I had got the ticket on Christmas Eve. I could not go out with my sons as I usually do. We had to cancel seeing my sons on Christmas Day as well as I felt so ill. Sandra joked that at least we might be millionaires.

"I checked the email and said, 'Yes we could be.' When I logged on and saw the 1m I just sat in total disbelief."

For security reasons the email then vanished: "So for a moment I thought it was all a dream."

The couple celebrate their ruby anniversary this year. "We would probably have had to sell our bungalow in three years," he added.

"The win has meant we can stay there forever which is such a relief, particularly since it is just around the corner from the local pub – where I expect I am going to be in the chair when this gets out."