A 72-year-old Scottish gran thought she’d won a horse, then discovered her £15 ticket had won her a £4 million Cornwall mansion, mortgage-free, plus £250,000 cash and £200,000 worth of furnishings
A 72-year-old grandmother from Scotland was left stunned after initially believing she had won a horse, only to discover that she had actually scooped a £4 million coastal mansion in Cornwall with a £15 Omaze entry.Mary Dickson, from Castle Douglas in south-west Scotland, almost missed out on the life-changing prize after ignoring calls from unknown numbers. When Omaze eventually contacted her and took her to a reveal location, she was even more confused when the first thing she saw was a horse standing in a field.
‘I said thanks but no thanks!’
Recalling the unusual moment, Mary was quoted as saying by SWNS, “The first thing I saw when I turned the corner was a horse. I said thanks but no thanks! Then I realised I’d actually won a house, not a horse, so I quickly said thank you very much!”Mary had entered the Omaze draw as part of her subscription, paying just £15 for the chance to win the four-bedroom property near the fishing village of Coverack in Cornwall.The grandmother said she nearly missed the call confirming her win because she had no mobile signal and generally does not answer calls from numbers she does not recognise.“I ignored Omaze’s calls at first. But they texted me, so I checked them out online, they looked like the real deal, so I thought I’d better call back. Thank goodness I did!” she said.“All the family came to see the reveal, I was gobsmacked when they told me it was the house.”The family later headed to a pub to celebrate, although Mary opted for coffee rather than an alcoholic drink.“Although I’m looking forward to a glass of wine by my new pool,” she added.
Four-bedroom mansion comes mortgage-free
The Cornwall home comes mortgage-free with £250,000 cash. (Photo: SWNS)
Mary and her husband John, 76, will receive the property mortgage-free, with stamp duty and legal fees covered. The prize also includes £250,000 in cash and £200,000 worth of furnishings.The couple, who have lived in a terrace house in Castle Douglas since 2000, say they are in no hurry to decide what they will ultimately do with their new home.“We’re going to keep it for a while and just enjoy it and we can’t wait to host Christmas here with all the family,” Mary said.The property boasts panoramic sea views and direct access to Porthbeer Cove. Designed around its coastal setting, the house features floor-to-ceiling windows and four double bedrooms, three of which have dressing rooms and en-suite bathrooms.The first floor includes an open-plan kitchen, dining and living area, along with a study, conservatory, boot room and utility room.Outside, the expansive grounds feature a heated swimming pool with a swim-up bar, sunken banquette seating and a fire pit. There is also an outdoor kitchen with a barbecue and pizza oven, landscaped gardens and a private driveway leading to a three-car garage.Despite the property having stables, Mary has made it clear that the couple are not planning to add horse ownership to their list of new commitments.
‘There must be something in the water up here’
The stunning mansion features a heated outdoor swimming pool. (Photo: SWNS)
Mary began entering Omaze draws after a colleague won an Omaze house in the Lake District in 2023.“When I saw that he’d won, it made me realise real people really do win these houses – I did wonder if he’d used up all the luck around here, but it must’ve rubbed off on me,” she said.“There must be something in the water up here.”Mary said she texted her colleague after discovering her own win because he was “the only person I knew who could possibly know how I was feeling”.The couple last visited Cornwall around 20 years ago, when they travelled along the coast and stayed in hotels. They never imagined their next visit would involve viewing their own multimillion-pound home.“We never imagined that when we next came back to Cornwall, it would be to see our very own £4million mansion. It’s absolutely stunning, we just can’t believe it’s all ours,” Mary said.“Our house in Scotland could probably fit on the turning circle on our new driveway.”She also joked about the journey south, referencing Scottish band The Proclaimers.“Funnily enough, The Proclaimers popped up on the telly promoting their new album the morning we went to see the house for the first time – fitting really, as we gladly went 500 miles to arrive at this door!”
A win that will change the family’s future
The couple plans to celebrate Christmas in their new Cornwall home. (Photo: SWNS)
John spent 27 years working as a draughtsman at a Motherwell steelworks before moving into an IT role with the fire and rescue service. He retired in 2011.The couple have been together since 1996 and married in 2017. Mary has two daughters, one of whom has sadly passed away. They remain close to her late daughter’s two sons, aged 17 and 22.Mary said the win would have a lasting impact on the entire family.“This win is fantastic for all our family, we’ll enjoy it together for now, and owning such a valuable property is life-changing for all of us,” she said.
Cornwall property sits near Porthbeer Cove
The mansion is located on the Lizard Peninsula, on the eastern side of the Cornwall National Landscape. Porthbeer Cove, a sheltered sandy beach, is a short walk away along the South West Coast Path.Falmouth, known for its harbourside restaurants and galleries, is around 30 minutes away, while Redruth is the nearest mainline railway station, offering direct services to London Paddington.Mary won the property through an Omaze draw conducted in partnership with Wellbeing of Women. According to Omaze, the draw guaranteed £1 million for the charity, while the company also committed a further £3.5 million through a separate multi-year grant.Matt Pohlson, founder and CEO of Omaze, said the company was “over the moon” that Mary and John had won the Cornwall property while supporting Wellbeing of Women.“Omaze offers people the chance to win incredible prizes, whilst also introducing charities to new audiences that they wouldn’t normally reach – it’s a win-win for entrants and our charity partners,” he said.The company said the Omaze community has raised more than £150 million for good causes across the UK.
