A DARTFORD couple who won £7.9million are still living in the same house, because they like their neighbours too much.

Ted and Marilyn Newton, of Fleet Road, Dartford, scooped the lottery jackpot in July last year, but insist the money has not changed them.

The couple will celebrate Christmas in the same way as they have done for 20 years - by going to the home of eldest son Darren.

Mrs Newton, aged 66, said: “When we won it we didn’t have a lot of money so we still have difficulty spending it.

“We’ve had several nice holidays, but really it hasn’t changed our lives that much, we can just afford a few more luxuries.”

Mrs Newton said she and her 70-year-old husband have only bought one big luxury - a countryside house to act as a retreat.

The mother-of-three said: “The country house is lovely but not somewhere we could actually live. There’s nothing within walking distance. What we like about living in Dartford is that everything is handy.

“Our neighbours are our friends now - we have lived here for over 40 years.

“If we were 20 years younger we might have moved somewhere more exotic, but here our family and friends are all around us.”

The couple presented festive hampers for animals at Foal Farm, Biggin Hill on Wednesday(Dec8) on behalf of the National Lottery.

They have supported the charity - which puts cats and dogs in the care of families instead of kennels - ever since they looked after their own dog, Poppy.