Wetherspoons Worker Wins £4 Million On Break; Goes Back To Finish Shift

Talk about commitment - Wetherspoons kitchen manager Amadou Gillen won a whopping £4 on a scratchcard during his break, but still went back to finish his shift.

The dedicated employee won the UK’s biggest ever scratchcard jackpot after snapping up two £10 cards from a newsagent during his 12-hour shift.

Instead of sharing the joy, the 46-year-old worked the last four hours of last Wednesday’s shift, with the card in his pocket.

It was a week before the shocked father-of-two broke the news to his family about his win.

The former McDonald’s apprentice from Trowbridge, Wiltshire, is going to spend the cash on trading his one-bed rented flat for a modest three-bed home in Bristol.

He also wants to learn how to drive with a week-long intensive course, but intends to buy a Peugeot while he gets to grips with being on the road.

Delighted Amadou said: “When I saw the number ‘4’ on the card I knew they didn’t pay out £40, so I knew it had to be £4 million. I scratched off the rest and oh my, I was so excited.

"But I put the card back in my pocket, and went back to finish the rest of my shift. It was certainly a long shift that day.

"I didn’t finish until 11.30pm or 12 that night, so had to work for almost four hours knowing I had won. I don’t know how I did it. I wanted to celebrate, but I couldn’t. It was a feeling I can’t express.”

Winner: Amadou Gillen is planning holidays and a new home (SWNS)

Single Amadou, who has two daughters, aged 19 and 22, moved to Wiltshire from The Gambia more than 20 year ago.

He has always worked in the restaurant industry, initially as an apprentice at McDonald’s, before starting at The Albany Palace in Trowbridge nearly five years ago.

He put the card - which offers a 1 in 3 chance of winning - in a briefcase at home, until it was verified by lottery officials on Tuesday.

The bubbly pub worker did his last shift on Saturday - still not revealing the win to his bosses - and among the first things he bought were some new clothes.

He said: “I went into work, did my shift 6pm until 10pm, and when I finished I saw my duty manager, handed over my keys, and that was it.

"I have been doing a lot of clothes shopping, and I do enjoy going to TK Maxx because I like to get designer stuff at discount prices rather than going to Gucci. I still love a bargain.”

Amadou told his daughter Takysha Smith, 19, while treating her to a meal at Nando’s, saying: “She was quite pleased.”

He is going to book a holiday to The Gambia for a huge family party and put money aside for his eldest daughter to study a science course at university - and he won’t be going back to work.

Amadou said: “This money is a life-changer for me. I can now tick all the boxes of everything I’ve ever wanted to do.”

Top image: SWNS