Britain’s record £184m lottery winners make first big purchase – a £38k used Volvo estate
BRITAIN’S biggest lottery winners have made their first big purchase — a used Volvo estate.
Down-to-earth Joe and Jess Thwaite spent a relatively modest £38,000 of their £184million EuroMillions win on the understated grey V60.
Our exclusive pictures taken this week show Joe, 49, and Jess, 44, arriving at the front gate of their £650,000 Grade II-listed home in the car.
They had been visiting the house to meet with their builders as they press ahead with work that had been planned on the property before their win.
Despite the couple’s windfall, neighbours are not shocked that the pair have been so restrained with their money.
One told The Sun: “They’re mega lottery winners but first and foremost they’re down-to-earth people who have worked hard their whole lives.
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“The car is smart, respectable and sensible — just like Joe and Jess.
“You might expect them to go and buy a Ferrari or a Bugatti. Instead of living the high life, they’re pressing ahead with their original plan to do the house up and make sure things are sorted as they’d planned originally.
“The couple are well liked by the neighbours and they want to make sure the house is put right.
“The fact that they’ve not splurged it all on sports cars or booze shows what great people they are.”
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With their record-breaking winnings, Joe and Jess could have had their pick of any supercar, such as a Bugatti, a McLaren or an Aston Martin. But after going public with their win last month, Joe admitted that he was “not a great car person”.
He said his dream motor was a Skoda Superb estate “because of the amount of stuff you can get in the boot”.
He had been driving a Hyundai but said: “I’m going to get something that does the job and is a big upgrade to my old little car that’s covered in dents.”
Joe and Jess landed £184,262,899 on the EuroMillions last month. Communications sales engineer Joe has already handed in his notice.
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Jess runs a hairdressing salon with her sister. The couple have been married for 11 years and have two primary school-aged children.
They live in Corse, Gloucs, but have been eyeing up a £7.25million mansion in the Cotswolds near Sun columnist Jeremy Clarkson’s farm.
Five cars they could afford
