A TAXI driver from Sixpenny Handley is celebrating a life-changing lottery win in what has been a lucky year for him and his wife.

Malcolm Dennett, 56, matched five numbers in the EuroMillions draw on July 18 and won £111,223.30.

Mr Dennett, who also breeds border collies as well as taxi driving, admitted he always secretly believed it was only a matter of time before he had a big win.

He bought his ticket at a shop in Upton when he was taking a client to Poole. He got in the habit of buying his lottery tickets from a particular store on this regular journey, after it proved lucky for him in the past.

“I pick up one of my clients in Poole every Thursday and when I’m there I buy my lottery tickets, but always from the same shop, Spar in Upton.

Earlier in the year I won £1,200 on Lotto so I considered it my lucky shop. With this result, it’s definitely my lucky shop.”

His win was a bit of a fluke, as he normally only plays EuroMillions when there is a rollover and unbeknown to him it had been won on the Tuesday before.

He said: “Had I known it wasn’t on a roll, I wouldn’t have bought that ticket.

Good job I wasn’t paying much attention when I asked the shopkeeper to give me a EuroMillions lucky dip ticket.”

He discovered his win the next morning and called his wife Heather. “I’m always winding people up so Heather didn’t believe me at first, but now that we have more than £100,000 in the bank it’s starting to sink in for us both.”

He added: “This year has been like no other. After my £1,200 win at the start of the year, we then had an unexpected inheritance which helped keep the wolves very much from the door and now this amazing win.

“I don’t know why it’s all coming at once but I like to think the dear friend who remembered us in her will is smiling down on us again with this latest dose of luck.”

The couple, who have a young son, are planning a few treats, including a trip to Lapland at Christmas.