Winner threw ticket in rubbish by mistake

Press, 12 September 1987, Page 17

Winner threw ticket in rubbish by mistake

PA Wellington An Auckland man almost threw away his chance of winning a new $300,000 Rolls-Royce car. The man, a retired contractor, mistook an envelope containing a ticket for the Spirit of New Zealand lottery, for junk mail, and threw it in the rubbish bin. His wife, who had ordered the ticket for his birthday, found it among the rubbish. It was the

winning ticket. “When I look at the car and think that I threw out the ticket I can’t believe my luck,” said the man, who preferred not to be named. He and his wife were handed the keys to the charcoal-grey Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit by the Spirit of New Zealand Trust chairman, Mr Stephen Fisher.

The man said, “I have dreamed of owning a Rolls-Royce all my life but I never thought I

would get to fulfil it “I spent a week drooling over the brochure for the Spirit of New Zealand lottery so my wife decided to buy a ticket for my birthday, especially as it was for such a worthy cause.”

The couple were given a brief driving lesson in the world’s most desirable car before heading home to Papatoetoe. They have yet to decide whether they will keep the RollsRoyce or trade it for a less-expensive car.