A great-grandad who beat cancer three times won £60,000 with People’s Postcode Lottery - and got his dream come true as his wife can now retire. Dad-of-five Bill Puffett, 80, scooped the huge sum after playing with two tickets, while a lucky neighbour in Bishopstone, Wiltshire, won £30,000.
Bill, a retired builder and decorator, battled three different types of cancer - skin, prostate and bowel cancer - over the last decade. He found out he won on Christmas Eve, days after he had been wishing for a miracle which would allow wife Linda to retire from her job as a senior care worker at a care home, and she handed in her notice as a result.
Bill said: “After everything I’ve been through with my health, this is the icing on the cake. I’ve had three lots of cancer and I thought I was very lucky after they said I was cancer-free for the third time but to now win £60,000 - I nearly fainted.
“I was shaking, and it wasn’t due to the cold, the feeling was indescribable. To have that much money in your hand, it just doesn’t feel real.
“I firstly had skin cancer – melanoma – I had to go into hospital and get a big chunk of skin removed from my shoulder. A couple years later I was passing blood and my wife took me into A&E, after tests it turned out I had prostate cancer.
“Lucky enough, my doctor caught it early and I received intense radiotherapy every day of the week until the cancer had gone. In March 2020, two years after getting the all-clear from prostate cancer, the doctors discovered that I had bowel cancer.
"I then had an operation, which despite being successful, left me with unbearable pain for weeks - I wouldn’t wish that kind of pain on my worst enemy. Thankfully, I’ve had the all clear now - touch wood – but I can’t say it’s not going to come back because it’s always a possibility.
"The night after the Postcode Lottery surprised us Linda quit her job. So, that was another big bonus. She’s been working 12-hour days, four days a week, and the other night, before we won, I was thinking why can’t something happen that would mean Linda could retire.
"We need new windows and a few other things done on the house. I’ve booked a table in a local pub, the Sunday roast is second to none, and I’ve got all the family together for a Christmas meal.
“I have a bottle of champagne in the house that I might pop open.”
Linda added: “We’ve got five children, so they’ll have something, and they’ll be happy - we’ll all be happy.”
The other winner on the street, who won £30,000, opted to remain anonymous. The winners’ prizes will be paid into their bank accounts.
Postcode Lottery ambassador Matt Johnson presented Bill with his prize cheque. He said: “I had such a great time surprising Bill with such an amazing amount of money. His reaction was lovely, and he definitely wasn’t expecting it.
“Congratulations to both our winners in Bishopstone. I hope they have a fantastic time treating themselves, and their loved ones, with the cash.”
This draw was promoted on behalf of Postcode International Trust, which supports charities including British Red Cross, Mary’s Meals and Action Against Hunger.
