Young shopworker tells of shock at ripping up £58m winning lotto ticket

A young shopworker who ripped a £58m lottery ticket in two before throwing it in the bin has stated he can't believe he almost threw away a stub that was worth so much money.
Sean Grant works at the Scotmid store where the winning ticket was bought. Picture: TSPLSean Grant works at the Scotmid store where the winning ticket was bought. Picture: TSPL
Sean Grant works at the Scotmid store where the winning ticket was bought. Picture: TSPL

Sean Grant, who has worked at the Scotmid in the High Street in Laurencekirk where the winning ticket was bought for two years, explained that he still can’t get over the fact that he almost cost one of his customers the chance to win the sizable prize.

He stated that after he realised his mistake, and that the ticket was a winner, he quickly apologised to customer Fred Higgins before fishing it from the bin.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Grant, who has just finished up at the nearby Mearns Academy, explained that he had checked two tickets from Mr Higgins, with the first one coming up ‘no winner’ before the second one returned with “a winning sound”.

The Scotmid store where the winning ticket was bought. Picture: TSPLThe Scotmid store where the winning ticket was bought. Picture: TSPL
The Scotmid store where the winning ticket was bought. Picture: TSPL

Mr Grant said: “I threw it in the bin as I thought it would be £10 or £20... 99 per cent of people don’t want their ticket back.”

The shopworker only realised something was wrong when the machine stated that the winning amount was in excess of what the shop could pay out.

He added: “I got the ticket out the bin and apologised to Mr Higgins and gave it back to him.”

The Laurencekirk native then explained that he was shocked when found that the couple had won £58 million from the ticket he had ripped up and nearly threw away.

“I couldn’t believe it...I just can’t get over it to be honest. I’m really happy for them, it’s great a local couple have won so much.”

Luckily, retired couple Fred, 67, and Lesley Higgins, 57, also from Laurencekirk, Aberdeenshire, who have dreams of living abroad after scooping the £58m, were still able to pass the required checks from Camelot, even with the damaged ticket.