Hastings police officer wins share of £180K on People's Postcode Lottery

Steven Demeza, 42, was one of five neighbours to share £180,000, as their postcode won the lottery's weekly Sunday Street Prize.

Now the police officer is planning to make his Florida wedding and honeymoon with fiancée Stacey a real beat bobby-dazzler, thanks to his £30,000 winnings.

Steven, who has been an officer for 19 years, said: “I’m getting married on a Gulf Coast beach in Florida in a couple of months, then up to Orlando to do some theme parks on our honeymoon.

“This means a lot. I’ve been working overtime to help pay for the last bits of the wedding. We had just been saying that we’ve not been spending enough time together because we haven’t been able to as I’ve been working.”

Steven told of his shock after Postcode Lottery ambassador Matt Johnson turned up on his doorstep with a cheque.

He said: “I’ve been a cop for 19 years, but seeing Matt Johnson at my door is about as nervous as I’ve ever been. You never think that it is going to happen to you. The Postcode Lottery helps good causes and it is a chance to earn money. It is a great thing knowing that you can be helping someone by helping yourself.”

Steven and four neighbours in their street each netted £30,000 with their winning postcode on Sunday (June 4).

But lucky Alison Lamb doubled her prize with two tickets, netting her £60,000.

Then she and partner John Griffin, 65, revealed they would keep the celebrations simple with a cup of tea.

Supermarket worker Alison, 57, who shares six children with her partner, said: “We might take the family out for a meal. We’re very happy with our lot. We don’t need flash holidays or flash cars.”

John, a former fisherman, added: “We’ll have a cup of tea when we go in. We’ll put all the money in the bank.”

The three other winners chose to remain anonymous.

But one said she had landed a £30,000 prize after being inspired by a colleague who had won just £10.

She said: “Someone in the office got an email saying that they had won £10, and we all just signed up that day. I’m in shock, but it is totally amazing. There are lots of really exciting things I can do with it.”

Postcode Lottery ambassador Matt Johnson said: “We were in Hastings, but there was no battle this time, just joy. I was delighted to knock on everyone’s door and make sure that they had a day to remember.”

People’s Postcode Lottery costs £12 a month to play and there are guaranteed winners every day, organisers said.

People play with their chosen postcode and are automatically entered into all draws.