Margaret Hitchcock, 56, from near McLeod Road, Abbey Wood, won £250,000 on a Christmas Advent Calendar scratch card

In the run-up to the festive season Margaret Hitchcock decided to treat herself and bought an advent calendar scratch card from a newsagents on Green’s End, Woolwich.

Mrs Hitchcock, from near McLeod Road, bought the winner just before she was due to start a 10 hour shift as an assistant manager at a plumbing store.

The mum of nine said: “I started to feel a bit Christmassy and decided to try my luck on a Christmassy scratchcard.

“I started to play, revealing the symbols behind the 24 different dates.

"If I’m honest I wasn’t really paying attention until I played the final box, the 24th, and revealed a pair of reindeers and a £250,000 prize.

MORE TOP STORIES “That certainly got my attention but I was absolutely sure that it must be a mistake, this sort of thing just doesn’t happen to me.”

She immediately sent a photo to her husband of 19 years, Ron, asking him to double check the prize.

After confirming their wildest dreams, Mrs Hitchcock dashed back to the newsagent who told her to call Camelot.

She added: “Mindful that I was meant to be working I told my manager what had happened and that I needed to call Camelot before starting work.

“She just laughed and said ‘you’ve won quarter of a million pounds, make that call!’ – so I did.”

In such a state of excitement her other half – who works as a customer assistant in the same plumbing store - had to come pick her up.

The 56-year-old said: “I was shaking like a leaf and weeping tears of joy. As we headed home we kept chuckling at the turnaround in our fortunes.

"I just couldn’t believe how lucky I’d been.”

As well as splashing out on a bumper Christmas for their family, the couple plan to buy a home and go on a cruise.

Mrs Hitchcock added: “To have my own home was always a pipe dream and now it’s a reality - that has to be the most awesome Christmas present ever.”

But not before Santa buys Mr Hitchcock, 45, the car of his dreams – a BMW.