Bus driver wins Lotto, then drives buses not to let down passengers

[pemma]

A bus driver has described trying to stay calm after learning he had won a £6.1 million Lotto jackpot during his morning rush-hour shift.

Grandfather Kevin Jones, 57, who works for the D&G bus company, had just finished the first leg of his route covering his home town, Crewe, to Newcastle-under-Lyme when he got a phone call.

He said: "I had just arrived in Newcastle when my phone rang and it was my wife Michele telling me we really had won the lottery. It was just so much to take in.

"I tried to remain calm. I knew I had to drive the bus back to Crewe and look after all of my passengers."

He immediately phoned his boss to say he really needed to finish his shift as "something major had happened" which may affect his concentration.

"My boss was naturally very concerned and said I really had to tell him in case this could affect my passengers. I just said to him 'Don't worry, it isn't bad news, it is the most incredible news ever - I have won the Lotto jackpot!"

Mr Jones said the £6,162,138 win from the National Lottery May 18 draw was "incredible luck" after the family lost everything in a double burglary years ago.

He said: "Several years ago we had nothing. We were living in Spain and suffered two break- ins over one weekend and lost everything. Michele was so frightened we just drove back to England straight away and had to start all over again."

Mr Jones said he was working 12-hour shifts to make ends meet.

"It is just amazing that this has happened. To think we had nothing and were working around the clock and now we have this. We really can now start to live the life of our dreams - something we never believed would happen to us."

He described checking his numbers online, and watching as all six matched.

"I just screamed out to Michele ... I think I have won the lottery! She said 'Great - is it £25?' And I said 'No, I have won the jackpot!'"

He continued: "All I could think about at that moment was to try to stay level-headed as nothing had been officially confirmed.

"There was no way I couldn't go into work the following day - I know how much people rely on me for their morning commute. I went to bed then got up the following morning and went into work as planned, asking Michele to call Camelot to see if what I thought had happened really was reality."

He said looking after Michele, his two children, Andrew, 30, and Lorraine, 32, will be a priority, together with his five-year-old grandson Joshua.

Mr Jones matched numbers 1, 3, 28, 34, 37 and 46 with a ticket bought from McColls in Hungerford Road, Crewe.

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.u..._work_morning_after_winning_lottery_millions/

There was also a report on North West Tonight: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07btjd7 on it where he was shown handing out lottery tickets that he had purchased to passengers.

 

[talltim]

If I won such an amount, I would work my notice, wouldn't like to leave my colleagues in the lurch.

 

[KendalKing]

If I won such an amount, I would work my notice, wouldn't like to leave my colleagues in the lurch.

I always used to say, that if won a large amount of money, that I would work my notice, just to stop people from saying left them in the ****

 

[Busaholic]

I think it is important to keep a level head in any situation, and not rush to make hasty decisions which you may regret later. Why shouldn't you continue working for a couple of days or so, you've still got all that money to look forward to and, more importantly, to deal with? The only reason not to do so would be if all the press publicity made it impossible to do a proper job.

 

[holl1984]

They've been for there usual Friday night fish and chip tea tonight from there usual chippy so nothing much has changed too much for them!

I'm Local and can honestly say he's one of the nicest friendliest drivers I've ever come across. Someone who truly deserves it

 

[Y961 XBU]

If i did win the lottery i dont think i would leave my job unless i decided to use it to start my own business, Would book a few days off but apart from that i would continue as normal

 

[ivanhoe]

If I won such an amount, I would work my notice, wouldn't like to leave my colleagues in the lurch.

I wouldn't. Winning the lottery is life changing. Most of your workmates would expect you to be gone.

 

[David Goddard]

I would probably stay with my company, but work the fewest possible hours to retain the maximum benefits

 

[richw]

I'd probably look to take a sabbatical, but wouldn't quit. I get bored and work is something to do.

Reports elsewhere suggest the chap in this story did leave half way through the day once Camelot confirmed him as a winner.
Imagine not showing up, then Camelot rule you haven't won due to a mistake you've made with the ticket.

 

[Busaholic]

Can you imagine winning the lottery? I'm sure most people who do it fantasize, but the reality must be very different. How you handle it will of course vary tremendously according to your personality type, but a key consideration is whether you've opted for 'no publicity' or not. I cannot personally imagine why anyone would want it broadcast that they've won a fortune, regardless of rumours going round, etc (a syndicate would be different) but, if no-one else really knows, why draw all the attention to yourself by immediately quitting your job/usual routine? I wouldn't immediately make a claim myself but would do a lot of research beforehand and consult close family and friends, and only after that take my ticket in person to the nearest Camelot office.

 

[PeterC]

Over the years my response to a win would have varied depending on the job that I was doing at the time. In the decade before retirement I always said that I would carry on working until I hit some typical annoying management BS in a meeting and which point I would tell them exactly what I thought and walk out.

I hope, however, that I would never have been so unprofessional as to do anything that would be detremental to a customer.