Jobless cousins tell of shock at £2.5m lottery jackpot

William Air and Alan Rennie mark their lottery success

Alan Rennie and William Air became millionaires in the September 11 draw when their numbers 21, 20, 39, 4, 35 and 40, and the bonus number 28, were drawn.

They cancelled a press conference to reveal their identities at the 11th hour because of last minute nerves - and because they'd been out celebrating with their families all night.

What would you do if you won 2.5million on the lottery?

Today, Mr Rennie, 50, told the Evening News how he had found out about his win as he was returning from the job club last Monday: "I had a job interview coming up on Tuesday for a carers job and I'd had a mock interview. I jumped off the bus, got the paper, went to Greggs and I was sitting down at home to a can of soup and a sausage roll. I opened up the paper and thought 'That's my numbers'.

"It's disbelief, I picked up my phone to him and said 'Have you got the paper there?' I said 'Go to the lottery numbers.'"

Mr Air, 46, added: "I couldn't believe it. I went to his house. He was shaking and I just picked up the phone to Camelot and they said they'd come down the next again day."

Mr Rennie bought the winning ticket at Londis in Niddrie Mains Road, and said: "The woman came up and she put the Lottery ticket in the machine and said 'It's looking like you've got a valid claim' and it went haywire. A guy from London from the private bank that Camelot use came up."

Lottery staff confirmed they had won 2,497,823 between them and offered them a short-term payout - they each took 1000 to take their families out for a celebratory dinner.

The pair shook hands on their mini-syndicate after Mr Rennie lost his job 18 months ago. They each picked a row of numbers, and agreed to share any winnings above 10.

Mr Rennie said he hadn't thought twice about honouring his agreement to split the cash: "We shook hands on it last year or a bit more. I was a bit down at the time and we were sitting half drunk, and William suggested it, and said 'Why don't we?'

"My last job was with JW Glazing and I worked there for seven years as a driver/glazier and lost that about 18 months ago. It's life-changing but I'm taking each day as it comes."

Mr Air also hopes the Lottery win will mark a change in his fortunes after a difficult year. The carpet-fitter, a father of two, has been staying with friends since separating from wife Margaret. He said: "I work on and off, I've had two heart attacks and I'm on six tablets a day. I lost my sister, Anne, to cancer on my birthday in March this year. It's not been a very good year for me."

The cousins are still reeling from the size of their win, and haven't decided exactly how to spend it, but they are both determined to stay in Craigmillar and take care of their families.

Mr Air said: "Before you win it, you think you'll buy this, do that and when you win it it goes right out of your head."

Mr Rennie, who is single, with one son and two daughters, said: "I'd like to pay the mortgage off. I was hoping to stay put - I want to be able to go for a beer and a game of pool like we used to.

"We're just working class guys, we don't really want anything to change."

what could you buy for 2.5m

2 Bugatti Veyrons - the world's fastest production car with a top speed of 267mph.

2 Anthony Stokes - the former Hibs star was sold to Celtic for 1.2 million.

10 'average' Edinburgh homes, based on the most recent average price of 229,098.

1 of Edinburgh's 2 million new tram vehicles, with 500,000 to spare to help build a line to put it on.

5 million sausage rolls from Greggs.