Hollywood dream of £17m lotto winner

A mother of five today collected a £16.7 million Lottery cheque and said at the top of her wish-list was a lavish trip to Hollywood - and a new carpet for her mother.

Marion Richardson, 57, became the first person in the UK to land the EuroMillions jackpot and the sixth richest British lottery winner.

Speaking today about her win, she said: "It was completely unbelievable. The first thing I thought of was my family. When my mum found out she said she just wants a new carpet."

But Mrs Richardson has more extravagant plans. She said: "I just love the film Pretty Woman and have always wanted to go shopping like Julia Roberts did on Rodeo Drive. It was always a pipe dream but now that dream can come true."

Asked if she had any other unfulfilled dreams, she replied: "I always wanted to be Shirley Valentine and have my stretch marks kissed."

Mrs Richardson, a retired postal worker from Winlaton, a small village in Tyne and Wear, admitted she was not a big spender. She usually shops in Asda and said she would not spend more than £4.99 on a handbag. But now she has her eyes on designer gear.

She said: "I've heard all these people with big money have this Louis... Louis Vuitton. I might try one of these, but they do seem incredibly expensive."

Mrs Richardson who lives in a £45,000 prefab council house with her daughter Kaye, 25, said she planned to buy a large family home in the countryside.

She admitted the cheque for £16,752,144.80 brought tears to her eyes.

"It is an overwhelming amount," she said. "All I can think is what I'll do with the 80p at the end."

Marion was at home on Friday night knitting a cardigan for her daughter when she decided to check her numbers - after getting an itch. She said: "I remembered the superstition that if your right palm itches you are meant to come into money... I put on Teletext and just stared at the numbers. I recognised all of them straight away."

Mrs Richardson was presented with her cheque by Atomic Kitten singer Natasha Hamilton, a family friend. Mrs Richardson's son Scott, who accompanied her to the presentation, works for the record company that promotes the girl group.

Natasha said: "I am so happy for Marion. I cried when I heard her numbers had come up."

EuroMillions links the UK's Lotto draw to games in France and Spain. The odds of winning are more than five times the 14 million-1 odds of scooping the UK jackpot.