Widow says late husband 'smiling down' after winning Scottish Highlands house worth £4m

A widow said her late husband will be “smiling down” after winning a house in the Highlands worth £4 million.

Patricia Moule, from Southampton, won the latest Omaze Million Pound House Draw, which included a multi-million property and £250,000 cash.

The 81-year-old won a contemporary four-bedroom property that sits on the shores of Loch Rannoch in Perthshire after purchasing an entry for just £25.

Patricia, a former personal manager, said she was “absolutely overwhelmed” after getting the call telling her she’d won the house.

Patricia Moule, Omaze Winner, outside her new £4m home in Scotland. Omaze

“I made myself a nice gin and tonic to celebrate, but a stiff scotch would’ve probably been more appropriate,” she said.

“Things like this just don’t happen to people like me, I never win anything, the best thing I’ve ever won before this was a doll when I was nine years old—this definitely tops that and was worth waiting 70 years for!”

Patricia, who has lived in her current three-bedroom house in Southampton for 17 years, raved about her new home.

“It’s breathtaking up here; it’s like something from a film. Come to think of it, I must watch Braveheart now that I own a home in Scotland,” she said.

Patricia said she had visited Scotland in the past with her late husband, David, who was a golf fanatic.

Patricia Moule won a contemporary 4-bedroom property that sits on the shores of Loch Rannoch in Perthshire, with its very own all-weather tennis court. Omaze

“I know he’ll be smiling down on us now, he’d have absolutely loved this place and everything that it will do for us,” she said.

Back in 2012, Patricia shed five stone so she could give her husband of more than 55 years, David, one of her kidneys for a lifesaving operation.

The operation was a success, but David died from prostate cancer in 2019.

Patricia added: “It meant I got to spend seven more years with my best friend. I wish he was still here to share this with me, but I know he’d be beyond happy for all of us.”

Omaze estimates that if she were to keep the property, the £250,000 would enable her to run the house for more than five years.

Courtyard at the multi-million-pound house. Omaze

The house also comes mortgage-free with £160,000 worth of furnishings.

However, the 81-year-old revealed she intended to sell the property as the money from the sale would secure her family’s future.

“The huge amount of money from the sale is so transformational for the family. It’s a generational legacy that means their future is now secure,” she said.

“We’ll definitely come up for a big family holiday before we sell it, though, and one of us may take a dip in the loch!”

She continued: “My granddaughter loves painting and you can’t get much more picturesque than this place, she’ll be getting her easel up here in no time.”

The house also comes mortgage-free with £160,000 worth of furnishings. Omaze

As well as making Patricia a multimillionaire, the draw raised £3.9m for Alzheimer’s Research UK.

On the donation to Alzheimer’s Research UK, Patricia said: “I’m so happy Omaze has raised so much for Alzheimer’s Research UK.

“My son-in-law’s mother had Alzheimer’s and recently passed away, so we know first-hand how important Alzheimer’s Research UK is. It’s a charity that means a lot to all the family.”

The partnership with Omaze was backed by actor and Alzheimer’s Research UK Ambassador, Brian Cox who said the raise amount was “fantastic.”

Hilary Evans-Newton, Alzheimer’s Research UK’s chief executive, said the funds raised will support the Drug Discovery team, which is dedicated to fast-tracking life-saving treatments for every form of dementia.

“Dementia remains the UK’s biggest killer. But there are still no treatments available on the NHS that can slow, stop or prevent it. But with the support of Omaze and everyone who entered the draw, we are changing that,” she said.

James Oakes, president of Omaze, said: “Everyone at Omaze is elated that Patricia and her family have won this breathtaking house in Scotland, whilst also contributing to our huge raise for Alzheimer’s Research UK, who we’ve now raised a total of £8m for over three incredible partnerships.

“Omaze offers people the chance to win amazing houses, whilst also introducing charities to new audiences that they wouldn’t normally reach–it’s a real win-win for entrants and our charity partners. We’re immensely proud that the Omaze Community has now raised over £85m for good causes across the UK.”