Bloke who lived in identical council flat for 42 years baggage £5m mega mansion

A British bloke has won a swanky £5m lakeside mansion as well as a whopping £250,000 in cash, choosing to celebrate the lucky win by popping off to the pub in a London bus

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A lucky lad who has lived in the same council flat for 42 years celebrated by taking the bus to the pub when he won a swanky £5 million lakeside mansion overlooking the stunning Lake Windermere, along with a handy £250,000 in cash.

Darren Thorpe from East London has lived in the same flat since he was only 11 years old. However, the 53-year-old is now the proud owner of a spectacular five-bedroom home boasting more than half an acre of stunning, landscaped grounds, complete with panoramic views across the iconic lake and a separate two-storey boathouse complete with its own private jetty.

The luxurious property comes mortgage-free, with stamp duty and legal fees covered. Darren has also picked up a not too shabby £250,000 in cash to help him settle in – and can choose to live in the house, rent it out for a supplementary income, or sell up whenever he wishes to become a cash multi-millionaire.

If Darren does decide to keep the stunning property, it is thought that the £250,000 would enable him to run the house for several years.

If he chooses to rent it out, local estate agents estimate that the property could achieve a long-term rental value of around £5,500 per month.

Darren, who bought his £5 million winning entry for £15 as part of a subscription to Omaze has one daughter, Yolotzin, 21, and has worked as a concierge in London for the past 3 decades.

A stunned Darren said: “I was in the middle of painting a friend’s summer house when Omaze contacted me – at first I thought it must be a wind-up.

“But then I thought, I might as well pick up – because at the very least it could get me out of painting the fence as well as the summer house!

“So I headed back home and the Omaze team knocked on my door, then the next thing I know I’m the owner of a £5 million house in the Lake District – it was crazy, one minute you’re about to paint a fence, the next minute you’re a multimillionaire!

“I thought I might pass out as I never expected it to be the house – especially as I’ve never won anything in my life before. I guess this makes up for 50 years of bad luck.”

Darren joked: “I’ve never been to the Lake District before, the closest I’ve got is probably Lakeside!”

He continued: “My daughter works in the local pub, so me and my friend went to surprise her at work with the good news, she didn’t believe me at first, things like this just don’t happen to normal people, well that’s what I used to think anyway!

“Even though I’d just become a multimillionaire – we still got the bus to the pub, the money won’t go to my head – but the booze certainly did!

“I don’t normally drink that much – but we got bottles of champagne and some shots in to celebrate – I can afford it now after all! I think we got back at 2am. I woke up with a huge hangover on Saturday morning, but it was all worth it when I remembered I was a millionaire!

“I’ve been in the same council flat for 42 years – it’s often been a case of living paycheque to paycheque. But now all the pressure is off. No more money worries, I’ll never have to think about how I’m going to get through the month ever again.

“To say it’s life-changing would be a massive understatement. It’s not been an easy road – life’s had lots of ups and downs – this is definitely an up!

“I never thought I’d own a house – let alone a £5 million one. My entire flat would fit in the front room! To be honest, I’d have been happy with just the boathouse! I wanted to drive up straightaway – but I don’t have a car or a licence. I’ll be getting both sorted now of course. It’ll be a race with my daughter to see who passes first.”

He concluded: “Long term I don’t know what I’ll do yet – but I’m definitely going to enjoy this incredible place for a bit. I’ll host a big barbeque up here this summer with friends and family. I’ll also book a holiday, but I better renew my passport or I won’t be going anywhere! I’ll carry on working for a bit – but I reckon it’s looking like early retirement for me. The £250,000 means if I want to, I could actually afford to stay here for years. It’s amazing to have that option.

“Whatever I decide to do, it will change mine and my daughter’s lives forever. It’s an incredible feeling knowing I can give her the best possible start in life. I’m happiest for her.”

Darren’s new home boasts five bedrooms and five bathrooms, including a main bedroom with en suite and dressing room, a reception hall, lounge, dining room and a large kitchen, as well as floor-to-ceiling windows, balconies and terraces with views Lake Windermere.

As well as making Darren a multi-millionaire, Omaze partnered with Centrepoint – the UK’s leading youth homelessness charity, providing over 15,000 young people each year with safe housing and support.

Draw entries for the Omaze Million Pound House Draw, Cornwall, are available now at omaze.co.uk. The Grand Prize Draw closes on Sunday 31st May 2026 for online entries and Tuesday 2nd June 2026 for postal entries. For full terms and conditions, see omaze.co.uk. No purchase necessary to enter. Over 18s and UK residents only.

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