Darlington foster carer left 'shaking' after £150,000 postcode lottery win

A Darlington grandma who has been a foster carer for 17 years has been left in shock after she scooped a £150,000 prize on the postcode lottery.

Nadene Catterick, 53, was left "shaking" when she found out she won the jackpot alongside four of her neighbours in her cul-de-sac.

Lucky Nadene was with husband Paul, 57 - an HGV technician at Scania celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary at a plush spa in Seaham when she was presented with her win.

Nadene and Paul with Postcode Lottery ambassador Judie McCourt (Image: POSTCODE LOTTERY)

Thanks to the cash, a planned garden project has been upgraded to a full two storey extension and they plan to jet off to the Canary Islands with daughter Emily, 30, son Ross, 28, and her two granddaughters, Lily, six and Rosie, two.

Nadene said: “Oh my God, I’m shaking. I still don’t feel like it’s real, but I've already started spending the money in my head. My legs are like jelly.

“I can get my extension now. And there’ll definitely be a holiday coming out of it.

“When I got the phone call, I didn’t think it was real. I didn’t expect anyone to turn up.

“We went to Seaham Hall to the spa and stayed overnight, we came home this morning and then this. I can’t believe it.”

Nadene and Paul. (Image: POSTCODE LOTTERY)

She added: “I’m due to get the back garden done at the end of June and I’ll now be ringing up and saying I don’t want it doing because I’m having an extension instead!

“We’ve always got a house full of people, so it’ll just give us that extra space that we need.”

“We wanted to do the extension as soon as we moved in two years ago, but we had to do a lot of other work instead.

“I’d like to do a full two storey extension out the back. We’ll get a bigger dining room and kitchen, shower room downstairs and an extra bedroom upstairs.”

Nadene and Paul. (Image: POSTCODE LOTTERY)

During her time as a foster carer, Nadene has cared for more than 40 kids on both a long and short-term basis - and now says she is going to be "spoiling" everyone with her winnings.

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She says: “I have just always loved children and loved having children in the house.

“We had two of our own and our family was complete. I think it’s just about giving these children a better life, giving them a better start in life and helping them where you can.

“Family is our world. We’ll be spoiling everybody. I can’t wait.”