Scratchcard millionaires trade world tour for campervan trip to Great Yarmouth

Paula and Andrew Hancock, along with their cat Shortcake, toast a year since they scooped a ??1 million lottery scratchcard prize win, at The Pumping House in Ollerton, Nottinghamshire. PA Photo. Picture date: Tuesday August 4, 2020. The couple have been forced to trade in a world tour for campervan trips to Great Yarmouth and Harrogate due to the coronavirus lockdown. See PA story LOTTERY Cat. Photo credit should read: Jacob King/PA Wire

Andrew and Paula Hancock, who thanked their cat Shortcake for their win after rushing out to buy pet food, had planned to take their son 13-year-old Xavier to the Tokyo Olympics.

But they instead had to change their holiday plans due to the coronavirus lockdown, exchanging destinations abroad for a “staycation”.

Mr Hancock, 47, said: “We had a couple of holidays planned prior to May time - Cyprus and Barcelona with friends - but we also had tickets for the Olympics in Tokyo.

“We were then going to fly from Tokyo to Bali, because that’s where we had our honeymoon, and then we were going to Darwin at the top of Australia and then further down into Western Australia.”

Great Yarmouth seafront during the summer of 2019. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Archant)

Mrs Hancock, 44, added: “We were feeling a little bit down so we just thought, let’s go and make the most of it - there’s lots of lovely places here to go and see and we can do day trips.

“We’ve booked for Coniston Water in the Lake District, we’re going to go to Great Yarmouth or around that area, and we’re doing Harrogate next.”

The couple, who sold their catering business after their jackpot win, said they wanted to take their son to the Olympics because he was a keen Judo fan.

And Mrs Hancock added their cat, known to the family as ‘Shorty’, had “put some weight on” since their win last year.

Andrew Hancock, with his cat Shortcake, at The Pumping House in Ollerton, Nottinghamshire, a year after he and his wife Paula scooped a ??1 million lottery scratchcard prize win. PA Photo. Picture date: Tuesday August 4, 2020. The couple have been forced to trade in a world tour for campervan trips to Great Yarmouth and Harrogate due to the coronavirus lockdown. See PA story LOTTERY Cat. Photo credit should read: Jacob King/PA Wire

Mr Hancock, 47, had picked up a £5 Monopoly Millionaire scratchcard, winning one of the four £1 million jackpot prizes.

In the rush of excitement, Mr Hancock forgot to buy six-year-old ginger tom Shortcake’s food so the pet ended up with ham later that evening.

Explaining why Shortcake had put on weight, Mrs Hancock said: “It’s because we’re at home so much.

“Before, we were out the house a lot of the time so he was out - but now, because of the lockdown, we’ve been at home and every time Andy stands up the cat goes to his bowl.”

“He has his normal food,” Mr Hancock added. “He likes Felix.”

The couple, who live near Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, said they had to cut Shortcake’s diet down from four pouches after hearing a family member only fed their cat one a day.