Cash win has not changed us as people

In the small, newly-decorated toilet, the 48-year-old has pondered the good fortune that turned his family's lives upside down, earning him early retirement, financial comfort and five-bedroom dream home near a Musselburgh beauty spot with romantic significance for him and his wife Ann.

"This house is in an area where we used to go walking," said the former electrician who left work five weeks after his numbers came up. "Ann and I used to stroll along around here and we always said if we ever won the lottery we would get a house here."

The brick-and-mortar investment is the biggest outlay of the couple's 2,033,705 windfall so far but this has been tempered by opting to gave it a facelift themselves.

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And besides the 600,000 property in leafy Inveresk, the lucky couple has shelled out on a few second hand cars and a Caribbean cruise to mark their silver wedding anniversary.

And the symbol of this new-found wealth - a oversized National Lottery cheque given to all winners - has pride of place in the Sharp's downstairs toilet, nestled behind some fragrant candles and incense sticks.

"It was only about two weeks ago that I stopped shaking my head every time I went into the bathroom and saw that cheque," said Brian. "I was getting up at 4am and just thinking, how did all this happen?

"And even now it's still scary when you see all those zeros in the bank account and sometimes you think, where did they all come from?"

The couple rocketed into the rich list in June. Ann, 48, was watching the BBC1 Lottery show on her own while her husband worked a shift at Royal Bank of Scotland HQ in Gogarburn. She said the only thing that could have made the revelation more memorable was if Brian was with her when they struck gold. When I saw the final number come up I thought, 'am I actually dreaming this?'.

The kids were all out and Brian was at work. I just thought I had made it all up - it really is the strangest feeling in the world. I remember thinking I wish I had been watching it with Brian."

Since winning the money - the cheque was presented to them by Hearts manager Jim Jeffries a few days later at Tynecastle - they have received nothing but congratulations.

"Most people are quite pleased that they know someone quite well that won the Lottery," said Ann.

"We had a comment from someone when we were out shopping (in Musselburgh) saying the whole town is really proud of us and that it was like Musselburgh had won the Lottery. It's a great feeling."

But has the cash changed them?

"It's changed our lives of course," said Brian. "We have no financial stress now but as people it's not changed us, however it's fair to say we have a more comfortable lifestyle."

Now in retirement and with more time on their hands, the Sharps have chosen to up brushes and decorate the home they bought in August themselves. Both hard-working individuals, they have spent weeks creating their perfect home - but it's a back-breaking task.

"The biggest difference from the old house is that the rooms here are a lot bigger and harder work to decorate," said Brian. "But we always enjoyed doing it and we have a lot of time now because we're not working. You get a certain amount of satisfaction about doing it and it gives you pride in your house that your are doing it yourself.

The conversion from three-bedroom maisonette in Stoneybank to a luxury gated property beside the River Esk is a dream come true and the couple wasted little time signing the title deeds. "We won the lottery on the Saturday and were viewing this place on the Monday," said Brian.

The duo have painted most of the interior themselves but the more difficult spots were left to an expert.

"We can do virtually anything we want but we have no intention of going overboard," said Ann.