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| Belfast woman Mary Hamilton wins more than £12.9m in lottery | Belfast woman Mary Hamilton wins more than £12.9m in lottery |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A 65-year-old furniture store worker from Belfast has won almost £13m in the Euromillions jackpot. | A 65-year-old furniture store worker from Belfast has won almost £13m in the Euromillions jackpot. |
| Mary Hamilton, who celebrated her 40th wedding anniversary in July, said she found out she had won the jackpot after her local petrol station said they could not pay out. | Mary Hamilton, who celebrated her 40th wedding anniversary in July, said she found out she had won the jackpot after her local petrol station said they could not pay out. |
| "They said they're only allowed to pay out so much," she said. | "They said they're only allowed to pay out so much," she said. |
| "I remembered that one week I won £36 and they were able to pay me that so I knew it was bit more than that." | "I remembered that one week I won £36 and they were able to pay me that so I knew it was bit more than that." |
| She added: "There was a man behind me and he had got it up on his phone. They were checking the numbers, then he said to me 'you're the UK winner'. | She added: "There was a man behind me and he had got it up on his phone. They were checking the numbers, then he said to me 'you're the UK winner'. |
| "My legs were so weak that I couldn't walk. Sandy [her husband] came to the store, we hugged and then he drove us home. | "My legs were so weak that I couldn't walk. Sandy [her husband] came to the store, we hugged and then he drove us home. |
| "I had the ticket a week and I didn't know. It was in my bag." | "I had the ticket a week and I didn't know. It was in my bag." |
| Mrs Hamilton said she had been playing the lottery since it started 20 years ago and while she thought there was a chance of winning a few thousand pounds she never dreamed of winning anywhere near £12.9m. | |
| She said she wanted to do something for the community in Northern Ireland. | She said she wanted to do something for the community in Northern Ireland. |
| "There are a lot of young people out there whose youth centres are being closed down because of the cutbacks. I know this will put a lot of them back out on to the streets. | "There are a lot of young people out there whose youth centres are being closed down because of the cutbacks. I know this will put a lot of them back out on to the streets. |
| "I would prefer they were in youth centres rather than standing about street corners so I might look into something like that." | "I would prefer they were in youth centres rather than standing about street corners so I might look into something like that." |
| The National Lottery is 20 years old this week and has made 81 people millionaires in Northern Ireland since the first draw. | The National Lottery is 20 years old this week and has made 81 people millionaires in Northern Ireland since the first draw. |
| The most recent big winner to go public was Tyrone woman Margaret Loughrey who won £27m. | The most recent big winner to go public was Tyrone woman Margaret Loughrey who won £27m. |