AN INCREDIBLE £18.1million jackpot has been won by a lucky Winterbourne family from a single lucky dip in last week’s Lotto.

The Banfield family, Dennis, 87, and Shirley, 83, along with their daughters Tina, 54, and Karen, 51, had always joked about winning the lottery, but only discovered they had won the life-changing amount on Sunday.

Dennis, a regular lottery player who bought the winning ticket at Winterbourne News near his house, said Sunday felt no different, only to find that after Shirley had read out the numbers, he had each one – on a single lucky dip.

The family said they would be splitting the £18,139,352 jackpot three ways.

Getting the call early on Sunday morning, daughter Tina, said she thought the call was going to be bad news as she went to answer.

She said: “It’s not every day your parents call you at 8am to tell you that you have won the lottery!

“So when they did, my first thought was it must be a mistake and I immediately headed over to check.

“Seeing those six numbers on their TV screen and then also matching on the national lottery website was a magical moment, and it was equally wonderful calling my sister Karen, who, like me, had received the call but assumed it was a mistake. I confirmed the win with her.”

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Dennis and Shirley Banfield (centre) with daughters Karen (left) and Tina (right)

With Camelot confirming that morning that the Banfields were £18.1million better off, the close-knit family have started making plans for the future.

Dennis, a former electricity board employee of 40 years, said: “All that has ever mattered to Shirley and I is that the girls are ok.

“We joked that it’s just a matter of time and we are playing the lottery for them, so that they are financially secure for ever. To know they are is a wonderful feeling.

“We haven’t thought about moving house – we’ve lived here for more than 57 years – and while I don’t think I would be interested in a new car, it is rather tempting. Although with my dodgy knee I might need to get a chauffeur.”

Plans for the winnings continue to be discussed by Tina and Karen.

Tina, a business relationship manager, said she was still coming to terms with her win, and Karen, who works in healthcare, said it was really too early to say what she would splash out on, but helping her two children would be her top priority.

“It’s not just the tangible things that the win will give us,” said Tina. “The win means we can all take life a little calmer, enjoy our time together and share in the experience without worrying about food bills, mortgage payments or pension plans.

“Mum and dad always said they played for us – I can’t tell you how pleased I am that they did!”

The National Lottery changes the lives of winners like the Banfield Family as well as communities across the UK – players raise around £30million for National Lotter-funded projects every week across the arts, sports, heritage, health, education, environment, charity and volunteer sectors.

For more information on National Lottery funding, visit www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk.