A COUPLE who won £1m a year ago have returned to visit locations in Salisbury that meant so much to them before their life-changing win.

Nick and Zoe Hoare, who were running The White Horse in Quidhampton when they won in May 2017, were joined on their special road trip by Andrea Holmes from Devizes who won £2.5 million.

Zoe said: “It’s been lovely. We actually come back to Salisbury quite a bit because when we had the pub we made so many good friends we still keep in touch. It is nice to come back with the Lottery and relive the memories from last May.”

The visit was in celebration of the National Lottery’s 5,000 millionaires milestone and saw the couple revisit the pub, Boy Wood and Allum and Sidaway in Salisbury where Nick made his first “extravagant purchase” after the Lotto win.

“It still feels a little bit like a dream but the whole purpose of what we are doing is to celebrate the fact that the National Lottery has now made 5,000 millionaires within the UK,which is quite a huge number,” she added. “It’s been really lovely to celebrate that fantastic achievement and milestone.”

Nick added: “It’s great to know that so many people in the county – and indeed the whole country - have been lottery lucky. I’m sure like us they will be enjoying the freedom, experiences and fun from such a win, but also enjoying the chance to help out others and make sure they can share in the win too.”

Since the windfall, Zoe says it has been an “absolute whirlwind”. “It is still a little bit surreal even all these days, weeks and months on.”

The couple have invested in property and set up an online business selling gifts and accessories.

Zoe said: “We have had an absolute blast to be honest. It is just having the time to do the things we simply didn’t have the time to do when we had the pub.”

But, the couple, who continued to run the pub for six months after the win, admit they miss it “enormously” especially the social side.

“Over the course of time your regulars become like a little pub family,” to be honest,” said Zoe.