FLORIST Kate Daven-Thomas is celebrating a life-changing £300,000 National Lottery win, but is not giving up her day job in Minehead.

Kate, agd 58, who work in Flowers At Number 3, in Blenheim Road, checked a lottery scratchcard bought in the town’s Morrisons supermarket before going to bed, and discovered she had won the top prize of £300,000.

Despite her sudden wealth, Kate said she had no plans to walk away from the flower shop where she loves working for owner and funeral director Amanda-Louise Knight.

Kate said: “I often buy a lottery scratchcard and it has become my evening ritual to check whether I have won.

“I checked it at 9.50 pm and could not believe it.

“I got dressed and skipped through the streets back to Morrisons, just as they were closing, to check the card, and, yes, I had won the top prize.

“I always knew I was going to win one day.

“I have a bit of a sixth sense, I suppose.”

Kate Daven-Thomas plans to carry on working as usual in a Minehead flower shop despite a huge lottery win.
Kate Daven-Thomas plans to carry on working as usual in a Minehead flower shop despite a huge lottery win. (Contributed)

Kate, who has faced major health challenges including a heart attack and surgery, said the win will give her the freedom to spend more time with her adult children in Italy, where she is now planning to buy a property in Milan.

After calling her children in Italy with the news, Kate went to the flower shop to tell her colleagues, where boss Amanda-Louise made sure she understood quite how valuable was the little piece of card in her possession.

Kate said: “Amanda-Louise sensibly advised me the card I was waving around was worth a fortune and I should put it somewhere safer than my handbag.”

Amanda-Louise said: “This could not happen to a nicer person.

“Kate really deserves it.

“I even asked her if she wanted to give up her part-time job, but she said no.

“She enjoys meeting all the customers and making floral arrangements for them.”

Kate said: “It is not always as glamorous as people think, working in a fresh flower florist.

“We spend a lot of time cleaning buckets, they have even nicknamed me ‘Mrs Bucket’.”

Kate’s win has already given her a taste of the Italian lifestyle she hopes to enjoy more of.

With her children living in Italy and plans to buy a property in Milan, she said the win could mean a new chapter for her family.

A £300k lottery win won't change my life, much, says Minehead's 'Mrs Bucket', Kate Daven-Thomas.
A £300k lottery win won't change my life, much, says Minehead's 'Mrs Bucket', Kate Daven-Thomas. (Contributed)

National Lottery operator Allwyn spokesperson Andy Carter said: “We know many scratchcard players have their own little rituals, and for Kate, that meant enjoying a game of Cashword Extra before bed each evening.

“What a moment it must have been to discover she had won £300,000 instantly.”

Kate’s win also resulted in a very different kind of day at Flowers At Number 3 when the National Lottery organised a special photo shoot at the Minehead florist.

She said: “I felt like a movie star.

“They had organised Willow Beauty to do my hair and makeup, and I had a stylist helping with my clothes.

“My flower shop had created beautiful flower arrangements and an Italian-style canopy, and a matching pink Vespa was hired from WHJ Vespas, who came all the way from Essex.

“The photographer spent a couple of hours taking different photographs outside our shop, and it attracted a lot of attention along Blenheim Road in Minehead.

“My dad and our dog Bella came along to watch the fun.

“I do not usually like having my photo taken, but everybody made me laugh.

“The next day, life got back to normal.

“The Italians say la dolce vita, meaning ‘the sweet life’, I can honestly say this is now so true for me.”