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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Adam Dutton & Sam Elliott-Gibbs

Lotto couple who bagged £3.6million use cash to become professional GHOST hunters

A couple who scooped £3.6 million on the lottery are creeping it real as they use their whopping windfall to fund their dreams of becoming professional ghost hunters.

Laura Hoyle, 40, and Kirk Stevens, 38, thought they had won just a fiver when the Set For Life draw was made last March.

Instead, they scooped £10,000 a month for the next 30 years after matching all six numbers.

But it's not just a new house, lavish holidays and fine dining for the Nottingham couple are putting their monthly cash injection towards.

The lucky pair, who were completely unaware they had won the life-changing amount for almost two weeks, have a brand new career path and are using some of their winnings to make it happen.

Laura Hoyle and Kirk Stevens won £10,000 every month for 30 years in 2021 (Camelot / SWNS)

Laura, of Hucknall, Notts, said: "Kirk and I are participating in lots more paranormal activities and I'm editing the videos we take which I absolutely love doing.

"I'm getting better and better at editing and the other month one of our videos was voted by a top ghost hunting YouTuber, one of his videos of the week.

"It's as if I'm getting paid to video edit, for the next 30 years.

"Without the win we wouldn't have been able to tick off a huge bucket list item - visit the National Justice Museum in Nottingham out-of-hours and spend time there investigating. There have been many trips and there will be many more."

It was only when Laura got a message from Camelot and logged into her account that she realised they had landed the top jackpot prize.

A year on from their win, video footage has been released of the incredible moment the couple heard the confirmation they had just become millionaires.

The Lotto winners say they are passionate about the paranormal (Camelot / SWNS)

Laura can be seen on the phone exclaiming "you're joking! I think I am going to be sick" as the Camelot call-handler breaks to them the good news.

Laura says the win still "feels surreal" and she has now ditched her job to become a professional paranormal investigator alongside manufacturing engineer Kirk.

Recalling the life-changing telephone call, Laura added: "I got an alert just after the draw saying there was 'good news about my ticket' but I just assumed I had won a fiver.

Engineer Kirk is also a highly skilled carpenter and will use both talents to create a new business (SWNS)

"I even kept on playing for several more Set For Life draws before I got an email from The National Lottery requesting I log into my account and check my messages.

"I thought that was odd and even asked Kirk whether he thought it was real or not.

"It was a Friday afternoon, I was working from home and I finally checked my account and saw there were lots of notifications there. It was then that the penny finally dropped that we should call Camelot fast.

They have have used their winnings to visit one of the UK's "most haunted" locations (PA)

"I was physically shaking as I told the lady, 'I think I've won the lottery.'

"It was so weird saying those words. I kept thinking this must be a joke; it can't be happening to us.

"And the ridiculous part was that, as I waited for Camelot to call me back, I still had to join work meetings online. I could hardly speak, let alone make any sense.

Laura and Kirk matched all five main numbers plus the Life Ball last year (SWNS)

"It still hasn't really sunk in. I say that, yet I immediately quit my job and I'm doing stuff I normally wouldn't have been able to do. I guess it's all still surreal.

"I am so chilled about everything now, very relaxed and that is what the win has done for me.

"We are moving into a new house this month and it's so stress free because I don't work now."

Their reaction to the news of their huge win was filmed (Camelot / SWNS)

Engineer Kirk is also a highly skilled carpenter and says he is going to use both talents to create a new business.

He said: "I want to make paranormal investigation products using my woodwork and electronic skills.

"I know what people want, I have the skill set and I now have the opportunity to make it work.

"I'm in my last year of my Masters degree in mechanical engineering. As Laura said, the win has enabled us to relax about bills. I have used the winnings to pay for the course.

After winning big, they not have some ghostly plans (Camelot / SWNS)

"I want to continue working and progress which was the reason for the Masters."

Laura and Kirk bought their £1.50 winning Set For Life Lucky Dip ticket online via the National Lottery app.

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