Sister of Great Train Robbery victim wins £333k from husband's 'secret' ticket

A woman has landed £333,333 in the Postcode Lottery, after her husband secretly put the ticket in her name, believing she was luckier than him.

Nancy Barkley, 80, of Crewe, Cheshire, whose late brother David Whitby was attacked by the notorious gang during the 1963 heist - described the win as unbelievable and has shared the £1m prize pot with two of her neighbours.

Husband Colin, 69, said: "I told her she was the lucky one. Looks like I was right."

The pair, who have insisted they are not "flashy people", now plan to move out of their rented house and buy a property together.

The former factory worker says she thought that her brother may have had something to do with her winning the jackpot.

"Everyone all knew the robbers' names but now people remember my brother David as well. And maybe he's looking down on us today."

Asked what her win meant to her, Barkley said: "This is just unbelievable. I never expected anything like that amount. I thought £1,000... anything over that is a bonus.

"This is a blooming big bonus."

The great grandmother-of-two used to work as a cutter for Chester Barrie – a clothing factory which made designer men's clothes worn by Royals, football players and F1 stars.

Discussing her plans, Barkley added: "We only rent, so this changes everything. We can buy the bungalow that we've always wanted.

"We're not flashy people. We don't drink and we're happy with simple things. We like going out for lunch and little trips away."

The couple only moved back to Crewe recently after retiring to Wales several years ago but worsening health problems forced them closer to family.

The pensioner was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago and underwent a lumpectomy.

Although doctors successfully removed the cancer, she later became seriously ill after suffering an infection and digestive complications.

She said: "At one point I went a whole month hardly eating or drinking. I ended up in hospital on drips and intravenous antibiotics."

But she says she has finally recovered and hopes to enjoy spending her winnings.

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