A builder who won the lottery celebrated his win by going back to work and buying a round of bacon butties for all his coworkers.
Paul Bevans, from Pembrokeshire in Wales, popped down to his local Nisa store on Marble Hall Road in Milford Haven a couple of months back on 27 March to buy himself a lottery ticket - and to his surprise, the ticket he bought ended up matching all five main numbers in the National Lottery’s 'Set For Life' draw.
His win means he now gets an impressive jackpot of £10,000 every month for a year.
"I couldn’t believe what I was seeing," Paul told the National Lottery after his win, "In fact I was so unsure, that I scanned the ticket about five times with my eyes firmly open, and each time there was the same winning message."
The 50-year-old wasted absolutely no time in celebrating after hitting the jackpot, but first made sure to hop in his van and head back to work to "show [his] boss and the other lads" the ticket, before heading to the local shop to get it checked over properly and calling the National Lottery.
Not only that, but he also treated his work pals by "shouting the lads a bacon, sausage and egg roll to celebrate" his win.
Builder celebrates winning lottery by buying bacon butties for all his coworkers / Credit: Aled Llywelyn (via the National Lottery)
Paul has revealed that, for now, he has no plans to stop working despite his win, and once he made the call to the National Lottery to confirm the ticket, he headed straight back to the house clearance job he was on along with everyone else.
He has said that he's beginning to think about what the future may hold, and does have a couple of ideas on his wish list for spending his winnings.
"To be honest it really hasn’t sunk in," Paul admitted.
"The idea that £10,000 will be paid to me every month for the next year takes some getting used to. I’ve worked all my life but never had money like that, or dreamt I ever would, but I do have a few ideas up my sleeve.
The 50-year-old gets £10,000 every month for a year / Credit: Aled Llywelyn (via the National Lottery)
"I won’t be buying anything too soon, I’ve waited this long so I’ll wait until the end of the summer when there should be some good deals about.
"If I can get the time off, I might book myself a little trip to Jamaica, as years ago my mum went and she said it was an island paradise, so I fancy a bit of that. And the only other thing on my wish list for now is a trip to Anfield to see Liverpool play at home.
"I’ve been a lifelong fan and never seen them play, other than on the telly."
Paul also started saving up for a campervan a couple of years back, and his winnings now mean he could be the proud owner of one by the end of the year "hit the open road and explore more of Wales and the UK".
Otley has announced its intention to bid to become UK Town of Culture 2028.
Entering into the national competition launched by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the West Yorkshire town is hoping to be the first-ever town to claim the title.
The Town of Culture competition invites towns across the UK to showcase their cultural story and develop ambitious programmes that celebrate local heritage, creativity, and communities.
The winning town receives a £3 million grant from the Government to deliver a major year-long cultural programme in 2028 designed to boost civic pride, attract visitors, and provide everyone with the opportunity to participate in cultural activities.
Their bid is focused around the Otley 800, a year-long programme that will mark the 800th anniversary of the granting of the Royal Market Charter in 1227 and the bridge over the River Wharfe in 1228.
These two historic moments transformed Otley into the bustling market town that it is today, so it deserves to be recognised.
Work has been going on behind the scenes for the past two years, with the council and Otley BID working with residents to put plans in place for the special year.
More than 70 organisations have been involved.
Mayor of Otley Cllr Paul Carter said: “Otley has always been a town that punches above its weight. This bid is about celebrating our history, but also about investing in our future — creating opportunities for our community, raising our profile and making sure Otley continues to thrive for the next 800 years.”
The shortlist for UK Town of Culture 2028 is set to be announced later this year, with each chosen town receiving £60,000 to help deliver their full bids for the competition. Fingers crossed!
Permission granted for new ‘Corn Exchange Pavilion’ to be built in Leeds city centre
Clementine Hall
The green light has been given for a brand-new pavilion to be built outside the Corn Exchange in Leeds city centre.
Yesterday, Tuesday 31 March, the planning committee of Leeds City Council officially gave the green light to plans submitted by CX Leeds Ltd.
These include plans to build a pavilion outside the Corn Exchange, one of Leeds' most iconic city centre landmarks.
The new building will go where that rather underwhelming patch of astroturf currently lays, in front of the Cornucopia mural and next to the bus shelter.
It lies between New Market Street and Crown Street.
DEN Architecture state that the materials selected will create an intriguing single-storey structure that compliments the surrounding area.
They stated: “The scale of the building and roof form of the proposal pays tribute to the previous tram and bus shelters that once occupied the site.
"While retaining the appropriately subservient nature of any new building in close proximity to the Corn Exchange. This will also provide greater visibility of the Cornucopia Mural.
“The building has been designed following extensive and thorough analysis, with a clear understanding of the built environment and the area’s historic significance.”
It's not yet been decided upon what the building's use will be, although Leeds city council suggests it could be used for "outdoor functions, shops and cafes".
When first put forward to the council back in December 2024, the plans were met with three objections from the public.
So, what would you like to see go into this new space?
The Hoot -
11th May 2023 
