Lucky cop couple who won big on EuroMillions now living off the land

A lucky couple went from the beat to botany after they won the lotto.

Police officers Graeme and Katherine White vowed to live off the land by moving to the country and enjoying the ‘Good Life’ after they scooped £1m on The National Lottery’s EuroMillions draw.

The green-fingered duo took a sabbatical from chasing crooks and today, 12 months on from winning, the pair are well on the way to living a more sustainable life as they welcome the first livestock to their smallholding - four hens, two of whom are aptly named ‘Euro’ and ‘Million’.

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Katherine, 37, said: “Welcoming Euro and Million, as well as Bark Bark Hen and Jeff, is the culmination of an incredible first year as National Lottery winners and another step towards us living a more sustainable life.

"Since our win everything has changed for the better, we’ve fast forwarded our 20-year plan at warp speed to give us, and our two children, breathing space both physically and financially.

“It’s been a crazy 12 months and we’ve learnt a lot. From ‘don’t dig a post hole too big or your fence won’t be strong enough’, to ‘remember to water your seedlings in a hot polytunnel.’” The hens are not the only new arrivals for the winning White family.

Much to the delight of their daughter, six and son, four, and realising they finally did have the time and space, Katherine and Graeme recently welcomed a new Labrador puppy to the family.

Katherine laughs: “We also thought about giving him a National Lottery inspired name such as ‘Lottie’ and ‘Millie’ but the children have other ideas, so Rusty he is.” The couple have both taken a sabbatical from their roles in the Police and while they miss the camaraderie, being able to put shift life behind them is the icing on the cake of a pretty phenomenal year, with Katherine saying,

“Before the win we only ever had one weekend a month together as a family due to our shift patterns. Now we have every weekend together, and pretty much most the week too. Spending time with the kids is precious. When I was little we always went camping at Hunstanton, it’s a very special place for me, so to now be close enough to pop there after school for a chippy tea and a play on the beach is priceless. Well not quite, it was the price of the EuroMillions winning ticket.”

Looking ahead Katherine and Graeme have plans for a more extensive vegetable garden, once they have rabbit proofed the area, and a few more chickens. Katherine said: "Our dream is to be as self-sufficient as possible. I don’t expect our gardening efforts to produce a bounty of vegetables or Euro and Million to lay enough eggs to save a weekly trip to the supermarket but we’re at least at the start of that journey.

“In time we will add a few more feathered friends to the henhouse and my ultimate aim is to have a herd of goats.” Graeme, 36, added: “I really think this is our little slice of heaven, somewhere we can raise our family and build wonderful memories.

“The experiences, the challenges and the laughable ‘every day is a school day’ moments we’ve had as we get to grips with country life are etched in my memory. I wake up each day excited about our future plans and go to sleep happily exhausted from the hard work and fresh air.

“The other day as I was planting up the polytunnel with vegetable seeds, Katherine arrived with a glass of her amazing homemade elderflower cordial. We looked at each other and laughed, we’ve changed in so many ways since our move from town life.”