AN Orford couple have never had much luck before but that all changed on Saturday when they banked more than half a million pounds on the Lotto draw.

Michael and Margaret Sampson matched five numbers plus the bonus ball in last week’s Lotto Quadruple Rollover.

The happy couple, who are still in a state of shock after discovering they had won £585,956, say the news still hasn’t sunk in just yet and are not sure it ever will.

Michael, a plant operator with PQ Corporation, said: “It’s surreal. Things like this don’t happen to us. We were both jumping for joy.

“The last time I ever won anything was a bottle of wine on a raffle and I don’t like wine so I gave it back to them. We once won a miniature bottle of whisky on a flight home but that’s about it.”

The couple, who have done the lottery for as long as they can remember, believe it was all down to fate.

Michael, aged 55, said: “I can’t believe the membership number Co-op gave to my mum years ago, to help her save money on her shopping, has also brought us this good fortune.

“Not only that, we bought the winning lottery ticket from Co-op as well.”

The couple's lucky numbers were 4, 11, 18, 41, 44 and the bonus ball 8.

It was later that evening, shortly after the draw, that Michael discovered his luck had changed but his wife thought it was all a joke.

“I didn’t believe him,” said the 55-year-old. “Even when I checked the numbers it didn’t seem real.”

The couple, who bought the ticket from the Co-op on Padgate Lane, are now planning for the future with a house move and a holiday at the top of their list as well as looking after their loved ones.

Despite the win, Margaret, who works as a part-time at an NHS clinic, has no plans of giving up her job anytime soon.

“I’m not ready to be a lady of leisure just yet,” she added.

But after winning the life-changing amount, Michael is still undecided about whether he will continue to work.

“I just don’t know yet. We are just going to wait and see what happens,” he added.

The couple have two children and three grandchildren, who are 'made up' for the lottery winners.