A WIDOWED grandmother who won a £4.5-million waterfront mansion overlooking the Fowey Estuary says her extraordinary Cornish windfall is “still mind-boggling” nearly three years later.

June Smith, 77, scooped the spectacular six-bedroom, three-storey home in Fowey in the 2023 Omaze Million Pound House Draw – just a year after losing her husband Ron, her partner of 43 years.

“I went from living on a single pension to owning a mansion,” she said. “It still sounds mad when I say those words out loud.”

June had been settling in for a quiet Friday night in Essex when there was a knock at the door.

“I honestly thought it was a wind-up,” she recalled. “I remember just standing there thinking, this can’t be real. People like me don’t win things like that. The first thing I did was call my children. The second thing I did was open a nice bottle of red. I’ll never forget that night.”

Arriving at the elegant waterfront home above the Fowey Estuary was, she says, an emotional moment.

“I just stood there and thought, wow. Ron worked in architecture all his life – he would have absolutely loved this house. I really do feel like he played a part in the win somehow. He always wanted us to be safe and secure.”

However, before cashing in on her remarkable prize, June was determined to enjoy it the Cornish way – with all the family together for one unforgettable summer.

She flew her eldest son and his family over from Australia, business class, and gathered her six grandchildren under one roof.

“The last time we holidayed in Cornwall we were all squeezed into a caravan,” she laughed. “Suddenly we were together in this incredible house overlooking the water. The grandchildren ran wild around the place and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. It was the ultimate family holiday.”

Days were spent strolling along the harbour, tucking into fish and chips on the quay, and popping into local pubs. “We did tea and scones the Cornish way,” she said. “And I’ve grown fond of the odd Cornish pasty, though they just call them pasties here of course!”

After that treasured summer, June later sold the property for millions – unlocking life-changing financial security for her family.

“Thanks to the money I also got with the house I could’ve easily kept it without a worry in the world. But selling the house meant I could help all my children with the next chapter of their lives,” she said. “I’ve been able to help them get on the property ladder, clear mortgages and take away all the everyday money worries.

“I’ve also been able to help start businesses for my children and that means they and my grandchildren have previously unimaginable financial security. Seeing the difference it’s made to them has been the best part of winning, plus I've still got plenty left for a rainy day!”

June loved Cornwall so much she used part of the proceeds to buy another home in Fowey, where she now spends much of her time.