Bar manager 'gobsmacked' at winning £4m house

A Reading man who won a house worth more than £4m and £250,000 in cash has described it as a "dream come true".

Bar manager Paul Knight, 47, entered a competition in aid of the British Heart Foundation (BHF) after donating £20 in a charity draw.

He said he was scrolling through his phone when he got the winning news and was "utterly gobsmacked".

The six-bedroom house in Bath was part of the estate of Sir John Harington, the godson of Elizabeth I and the inventor of the first ever flushing toilet.

The property, which was the prize in the latest Omaze Million Pound House Draw, dates back to the mid-1500s and comes mortgage-free, with all stamp duty and legal fees covered.

Mr Knight shared the good news with his partner Justin Snowdon, 36, a flight attendant who had just come back from New York.

He said Mr Snowdon "could not comprehend the news" and thought he was "hallucinating" due to jet lag.

Mr Knight said: "The house is absolutely stunning and the garage is bigger than our current house.

"We've never seen anything so grand, we love period properties, there is so much character and history here, we feel like royalty.

"We've always wanted a house with a river at the end of the garden and amazing views to wake up to, so this is a dream come true."

Mr Knight said: "I've been working in bars all my life, which is hard graft, so I'm looking forward to easing off a bit and not working so many weekends any more.

He said: "This win means we can finally look into starting a family and adopting a child, it's all very exciting.

"I was joking that depending on how many we have, we might even need a butler."

"I'm so happy Omaze has raised so much for BHF, my father died 10 years ago due to circulatory issues, so it's a charity that means a lot to me," he added.

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