Gran starts new year in style after winning £30,000 on scratchcard

A grandmother has started the new year in style after winning a brand new car and £30,000 on a National Lottery scratchcard.

Hannah Dewar, known as Val, from Tain in the Highlands won the prizes after picking up a Cash and Cars scratchcard on December 22.

The 79-year-old couldn’t believe her eyes when she discovered she had won a BMW X2 as well as the life-changing sum of money.

“I had been at the dentist that day and decided to buy myself a couple of scratchcards to cheer myself up. I remember it because I was chatting to the lady behind the counter at Morrisons who, funnily-enough, was also called Val,” she said.

“Being a few days before Christmas the shop was very busy so I decided to wait until I got home to scratch them. I live in a farmhouse with a big open fire and normally when I have scratched the cards, and if I haven’t won anything, I just throw them into the fire.

“Strangely, that day the fire wasn’t lit and boy am I glad about that! I had scratched one side and was about to scrunch it up before I realised I had missed the second side. I was just sitting there in astonishment – I had won £30,000 and a car!

Val Dewer is on cloud nine after winning big on a scratchcard. Email

“It was almost nine o’clock at night so it was too late to call anyone to tell them about the win. I had a rather sleepless night thinking about everything before I spoke to my daughter and was able to call The National Lottery in the morning.”

Val, who has lived on a farm in the area for over 40 years, celebrated her win with a luxury dinner from a local caterer on Christmas Day with her daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren.

While the pensioner is still undecided as to what to do with the money, one of Val’s grandsons has been dropping hints that he’d like a new tractor for the farm he and his family live on nearby.

“I put that notion firmly to bed”, Val says with a laugh. “I want to treat myself, although I have no idea what that treat is at the moment.”

Val’s ten-year-old collie Tess, who is her constant companion, will be enjoying the lap of luxury as the pair intend to travel around Scotland in her new BMW.

“Tess is my best friend and goes everywhere with me. I have a campervan and before the pandemic we would travel all over the Highlands. I really hope we can do this again soon, although Tess will be sitting in the lap of luxury thanks to the new BMW that we will be travelling in,” she said.

“I have also always loved horses so will definitely be able to spoil my two daughters with a few extra treats as well.”

While she admits she doesn’t really know much about cars, Val has already decided white is her chosen colour for the new BMW which will be delivered in the new year.

Despite winning big, Val said she will continue to treat herself to a scratchcard every week.

“It’s part of my weekly routine. Since I gave up smoking in 2013 I have saved the money that I would have spent and used it to buy a few scratchcards. It was obviously the right decision as it eventually brought me good luck!”

Val purchased her winning scratchcard at Morrisons on Dalmore Road in Alness, Ross-shire.

More than £1.2bn has been donated to charities and organisations impacted by the coronavirus pandemic by the National Lottery.

By playing any National Lottery game, players generate more than £30m each week for National Lottery-funded projects.