Hucknall couple who won £3.6 million on the lottery ditch their jobs to become professional ghost hunters

Laura Hoyle, 40, and Kirk Stevens, 38, scooped £10,000 a month for the next 30 years after matching all six numbers to wins in the Set For Life draw last March.

The lucky pair were completely unaware they had won the life-changing amount for almost two weeks and carried on playing the game believing they had won just £5.

It was only when Laura got a message from Camelot and logged into her account that she realised they had landed the top jackpot prize.

She then phoned Camelot, who gave them the good news.

One year on, the couple have reflected on what has happened and what the future holds.

Laura said, “It still hasn’t really sunk in.

"I say that, yet I immediately quit my job and I’m doing stuff I normally wouldn’t have been able to do.

"I guess it’s all still surreal.

“I am so chilled about everything now, very relaxed and that is what the win has done for me.

"We are moving into a new house this month and it’s so stress-free because I don't work now.

"We’ve been fortunate during Covid to go away, and once Kirk has finished his masters degree in the summer we are off to Disneyland Paris and lots of other exciting places.”

Kirk added: “I’m in my last year of my masters degree in mechanical engineering.

"It’s been really hard at times to distance learn during Covid and it’s an expensive qualification and before the win I did, at times, question the investment.

"As Laura said, the win has enabled us to relax about bills.

"I have used the winnings to pay for the course.

"I want to continue working and progress which was the reason for the masters.”

One thing the couple have been able to do is indulge in their hobby of paranormal investigation.

Laura continued, “Kirk and I are participating in lots more paranormal activities and I’m editing the videos we take, which I absolutely love doing.

"I’m getting better and better at editing and the other month one of our videos was voted by a top ghost hunting YouTuber, one of his videos of the week.

"It’s as if I’m getting paid to video edit, for the next 30 years.

“Without the win we wouldn’t have been able to tick off a huge bucket list item – visit the National Justice Museum in Nottingham out-of-hours and spend time there investigating.

"There have been many trips and there will be many more.”

Engineer Kirk is also a highly skilled carpenter, and he is going to use both talents to create a new business.

He said, “I want to make paranormal investigation products using my woodwork and electronic skills.

"I know what people want, I have the skill set and I now have the opportunity to make it work.

"Winning Set For Life has given us the best of both worlds.

"We are doing what we want to do and because we have this money every month, for life we are so chilled and relaxed about things, enabling us to keep our feet firmly on the ground.”