A gran who won a ridiculously beautiful £4million beach-front mansion in Cornwall initially said no to the prize because she misunderstood what she had actually won
A gran who scooped a luxury £4million pad in an online lottery initially turned down the prize because she thought she’d won a horse.
Mary Dickson, 72, was the lucky winner of a stunning four-bedroom coastal mansion in Cornwall, but initially told lottery organizers at Omaze “thanks but now thanks”, due to the confusion.
According to Mary herself, Omaze didn’t immediately let her know exactly what she had won, instead taking her to the property so she could see if for the first time in person. However, when they arrived, the first thing Mary saw was a horse standing in a field, and so she assumed that was her prize.
Mary, who is from Castle Douglas in south-west Scotland, said: “I said thanks but no thanks. Then I realised I’d actually won a house, not a horse, so I quickly said thank you very much!”
Mary won the home outside the fishing village of Coverack in Cornwall from a £15 ticket.
She was taken to a win ‘reveal’ location by Omaze where the mystery prize house would be displayed on a big screen. But when she arrived, the first thing she saw was a horse in a field – which she thought was what she’d won.
She said: ”The first thing I saw when I turned the corner was a horse.”
Mary now plans to enjoy the new home that comes with panoramic sea views, a swimming pool and direct access to Porthbeer Cove, before deciding on its future. Her husband John, 76, was driving Mary home from work when the Omaze team first reached out.
But Mary has revealed she nearly missed the call, as she didn’t have any signal and never answers calls from unknown numbers.
She added: “I ignored Omaze’s calls at first. But they texted me, so I checked them out online. They looked like the real deal, so I thought I’d better call back. Thank goodness I did!
“All the family came to see the reveal. I was gobsmacked when they told me it was the house. We headed to the pub to celebrate, but I didn’t have anything stronger than a coffee. Although I’m looking forward to a glass of wine by my new pool.”
Their new home comes mortgage-free, with all stamp duty and legal fees covered, plus £250,000 in cash and £200,000 of furnishings.
Mary said they were in no rush to make a decision at present, explaining: “We’re going to keep it for a while and just enjoy it and we can’t wait to host Christmas here with all the family”.
Mary, who has worked in the public sector for 34 years, bought her £4 million winning entry for just £15 as part of her Omaze subscription, and only started entering after a colleague won an Omaze house in the Lake District in 2023.
She said: “When I saw that he’d won, it made me realise real people really do win these houses – I did wonder if he’d used up all the luck around here, but it must’ve rubbed off on me.
“There must be something in the water up here. I texted him after I found out – as he was the only person I knew who could possibly know how I was feeling.”
The property in Cornwall is a world away from the terraced house in Castle Douglas the couple have called home since 2000.
The couple last visited Cornwall 20 years ago, when they travelled up and down the coast staying in hotels.
On her new house she said: “We never imagined that when we next came back to Cornwall, it would be to see our very own £4million mansion. It’s absolutely stunning, we just can’t believe it’s all ours.
“Our house in Scotland could probably fit on the turning circle on our new driveway. This win is fantastic for all our family, we’ll enjoy it together for now, and owning such a valuable property is life-changing for all of us.”
She continued: “Funnily enough, The Proclaimers popped up on the telly promoting their new album the morning we went to see the house for the first time – fitting really, as we gladly went 500 miles to arrive at this door!”
John spent 27 years as a draughtsman at a Motherwell steelworks before an IT role with the fire and rescue service, retiring in 2011.
The couple have been together since 1996 and married in 2017. Mary has two daughters, one of whom sadly passed away.
They are very close to her late daughter’s two boys – grandsons aged 17 and 22 – and say the win is “something that has changed our family’s future”.
Their breathtaking new home was designed to make the most of its coastal setting, with floor-to-ceiling windows to take in the views.
The ground floor features four double bedrooms, three with dressing rooms, all with ensuite bathrooms.
‘The first floor offers a spacious open-plan kitchen, dining room and living room, along with a study, conservatory, boot room and utility room.
The expansive grounds feature a heated outdoor swimming pool, complete with a swim-up bar, sunken banquette seating and fire pit, set within beautifully landscaped gardens.
An outdoor kitchen with BBQ and pizza oven sits on the north terrace, ready for John and Mary to entertain, while a private driveway leads to a three-car garage. The property sits on the Lizard Peninsula, on the eastern side of the Cornwall National Landscape.
The sheltered, sandy crescent of Porthbeer Cove is a short stroll away along the South West Coast Path. Falmouth, with its harbourside restaurants and galleries, is around 30 minutes away, while Redruth offers the nearest mainline station, with direct services to London Paddington.