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A grandfather almost missed out on winning a £2 million mansion in Devon and £250,000 in cash because he was on his way to the pub.
Tom Steenson, 64, was on the way to meet some pals when Omaze knocked on his door to tell him he’d won the latest Million Pound House Draw.
Luckily, Tom’s wife Carole, 58, answered the door instead and immediately called his phone to tell him about the life-changing news.
The grandfather of two almost didn’t answer as he thought it might ‘interfere with my trip to the pub’, but thankfully he knows not to ignore his wife – and immediately rushed home to find out what he had won.
Tom, who bought his multi-million-pound winning entry for just £20, as part of his Omaze subscription, is now the proud owner of a contemporary, luxurious house near the picturesque coastal town of Exmouth.
The property comes complete with a heated swimming pool as well as spectacular panoramic views of the surrounding scenery and coastline.
Tom Steenson, 64, and his wife Carole, 58, standing outside his contemporary, luxurious house near the picturesque coastal town of Exmouth
The southeast-facing garden to the rear includes an elevated terrace, heated swimming pool, an area of lawn and far-reaching views across the surrounding fields and out to sea
It also features an outdoor seating area that offers spectacular panoramic views of the surrounding scenery and coastline
Elated Tom, from Bolton, said: ‘It was just another Friday really.
‘I was off to get a haircut and then planned to go straight to the pub for an end of the week beer with pals, so I was out when Omaze came knocking.
‘She called me to say Omaze were at our house, but I very nearly ignored it as I thought it might interfere with my trip to the pub! Obviously, I always answer when my wife calls, and thank goodness I do as it really paid off this time!
‘We didn’t know what I’d won at that point, so I asked her if it was the house, and she said I shouldn’t have thought so, neither of us expected it really.
‘I skipped going to the pub and rushed home instead. Missing that pint made me a millionaire, it’s the best pint I’ve never had!
‘Our daughter came over and we celebrated with a couple of bottles of champagne and a big Chinese takeaway! For once the fortune cookies were correct!’
His amazing new property comes mortgage-free, with all stamp duty and legal fees covered.
He also scooped a whopping £250,000 in cash to help him settle in and can decide to either live in the house, rent it out for a supplementary income or sell it whenever he wishes to become a cash multi-millionaire.
If he decides to rent it out, local estate agents estimate the property could achieve a long-term rental value of between £6,000 to £7,000 per month.
The kitchen and breakfast room includes a large central island with a breakfast bar and Corian worktops, chic fitted units and integrated Siemens appliances
Upstairs, the spacious landing provides a seating area that leads off into three beautifully appointed double bedrooms. The first floor also has a family bathroom (pictured) with a separate walk-in shower
The dining room features and elegant wooden dining table with ceiling to floor windows that offer a picturesque view of the garden
On his new house he said: ‘The house is just magnificent, it looks like something out of a film! It’s not unfair to say it’s a bit nicer than where we currently live!
‘My wife is a part time cleaner and cleans houses like this every now and then – but we never thought we’d end up owning one!
‘We love the house, there’s loads of space for all our friends and family to come and stay.
‘The pool looks great! It’s a bit nippy today but if I had my trunks I’d definitely be tempted to dive in!
‘Devon is beautiful, we love being in the countryside and by the sea. Waking up to these rolling hills and sea views will never get dull.’
Tom added: ‘This win means we’ll never have to worry about money ever again – it’s a dream come true. I could retire early, but my boss doesn’t have to worry as I’ll keep working for a while yet, I like to stay busy.
‘Our grandkids are going to love this place, they’ve already planned a big pool party.
‘Our son lives in Australia and if this place doesn’t get him back for Christmas, nothing will! We can fly him over now of course – maybe business class if he plays his cards right!
‘We’ll definitely enjoy the house for a bit, but we’ll most likely sell it, maybe next year, as the money we’ll get is life-changing for the entire family.
‘Thanks to £250k we’ve pocketed as part of the win, we could afford to stay here for ten years if we wanted to. Selling and banking the cash would enable us to help all our children and grandchildren – it’s a generational legacy for our family. We could help our kids get on the property ladder now – it’s all very exciting!’
The garden offers south-facing views of the sprawling Devonshire countryside
The heated pool in encompassed by an elegant concrete patio with four sleek sun beds
Tom and Carole have lived in their current two-bedroom house in Maidstone since 2021. They have a son and daughter as well as two grandchildren. They also have a Cocker Spaniel called Dazzle.
Tom has worked in training and development for the motor industry for 38 years.
His new home is a magnificent example of modern architecture.
It has been meticulously designed to celebrate the surrounding landscape – with full-height windows running the full length of the property, offering breathtaking views of the Devonshire countryside from almost every room, whilst also allowing natural light to pour in and fill the entire home.
The 4,200 square feet property combines elegant styling with high-quality, bespoke fittings and modern-day conveniences. It features sleek architectural lines and an open-concept design that seamlessly merges indoor and outdoor living.
It has an impressive atrium with a skylight overhead to provide a fantastic sense of space and light. The heart of the home is the double height sitting and dining room space, with a galleried landing above and sliding glass doors below that open onto the manicured rear gardens.
The well-proportioned kitchen and breakfast room also features sliding glass doors to the gardens and includes a large central island with a breakfast bar and Corian worktops, chic fitted units and integrated Siemens appliances.
The ground floor has a large open plan lounge and dining area for Tom to entertain or relax in. There is also a study overlooking the gardens.
Upstairs, the spacious landing provides a seating area that leads off into three beautifully appointed double bedrooms. These include the generous main bedroom, complete with dressing room and en suite bathroom. The first floor also has a family bathroom with a separate walk-in shower.
Adjacent to the main house is an elegant guest annexe, with self-contained kitchenette and en suite.
The southeast-facing garden to the rear includes an elevated terrace, swimming pool, an area of lawn and far-reaching views across the surrounding fields and out to sea.
The heart of the home is the double height sitting and dining room space, with a galleried landing above and sliding glass doors below that open onto the manicured rear gardens
The ground floor also has a sleek study (pictured) overlooking the gardens
As well as making Tom a multi-millionaire, the Omaze Million Pound House Draw, Devon, raised £3.5 million for Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM).
CALM’s services have never been needed more. Its suicide prevention helpline answers a call every 59 seconds. The charity says that answering so many calls is a constant challenge.
Someone in the UK dies by suicide every 90 minutes. It’s now the leading cause of death for young people and men under 50.
The money raised from the partnership with Omaze is the single biggest donation in the charity’s history and will make a transformational difference.
It will go towards CALM’s suicide prevention services including their life-saving helpline to help more people find hope and a reason to stay, keeping more families and loved ones together.
The Omaze partnership was backed by comedian and CALM Patron, Romesh Ranganathan, who was delighted with the ‘unbelievable’ amount raised.
Simon Gunning, CEO of CALM said; ‘We knew this partnership with Omaze would be game-changing for us, but this is way beyond what we imagined. £3.5 million is an unbelievable, life-saving amount and could mean we’re able to safeguard our suicide prevention helpline for the next two years and save so many lives in the process.
‘At a time when our services have never been needed more, this money will be vital in ensuring people get the support they need to end their misery, not their lives.
‘So, a massive thank you from everyone at Campaign Against Living Miserably! Every single person who entered the draw has helped us raise this incredible amount.’
James Oakes, Chief International Officer at Omaze, said: ‘Everyone at Omaze is thrilled that Tom has won this special house in Devon, whilst also contributing to the £3.5 million raised for CALM, a charity that means a lot to him.
‘Omaze offers people the chance to win amazing houses, like this incredible house in Devon, whilst also introducing charities to new audiences that they wouldn’t normally reach – it’s a real win-win for entrants and our charity partners. We’re immensely proud that the Omaze community has now raised over £63 million for good causes across the UK.’
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