Scottish couple wins record $245m in lottery

A Scottish couple suffering from ill health and out of work are now Europe’s biggest ever lottery winners after winning 185 million euros ($245.39 million) in the recent EuroMillions jackpot.

The couple, who have been married for 30 years and live in the town of Largs near Glasgow, received the money after Tuesday’s draw.

The prize took them up to 430th place in this year's Sunday Times Rich List for Britain. Wife and former psychiatric nurse Chris Weir said they were “tickled pink” during their first press conference as multi-millionaires.

"I even had a glass of white wine, which is something I normally only do at Christmas. It really is unbelievable."

Colin Weir, a former TV cameraman and studio manager appeared somewhat stunned by the amount of attention they were generating.

"When we first realised we had won, it felt like a dream. But it feels like a good thing; something we should not be afraid of but for us to enjoy with the children," he said.

The Weirs plan on using the money to buy homes for their daughter Carly, 24 and their son Jamie, 22. They also said that their children will now be able to take their first driving lessons.

The couple said they wanted to visit the Great Wall of China and Uluru, as well as art galleries in Paris and Russia. 

Colin, a fan of Spanish football (soccer) hopes to see Barcelona play from a private box at the Camp Nou stadium. 

The Weirs have been unable to work in recent years due to serious health conditions.Colin Weir suffered a leg injury and rheumatoid arthritis while Chris Weir worked in nursing for 37 years before quitting three years ago due to poor health.

The couple said they would have liked to keep their win a secret. They also said they hoped their newfound wealth would not change who they are.

The previous British record jackpot holder, who won 129 million euros ($171.11 million) in October last year, chose to remain anonymous.

The EuroMillions lottery was launched in 2004 and is now played in nine countries across Western Europe: Austria, Belgium, Britain, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland.